Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Close to Winning Back Palmyra

“The Syrian troops are only 1,500 meters away from Palmyra and the city is within the reach of the army,” a Syrian military source told FNA on Friday.

The source noted that the Syrian forces have taken control of al-Siyaqeh school in the suburbs of Palmyra after killing tens of ISIL terrorists and destroying a many of their military equipment.

Also in the past 24 hours, more than 15 Takfiri terrorists were killed after infighting erupted between ISIL and Al-Nusra Front in the Southeastern Syrian province of Daraa.

The ISIL and the Al-Nusra terrorists exchanged heavy gunfire over the control of a strategic region near the border with Jordan.

At least 15 Takfiri terrorists were killed on both sides in the clashes, FNA dispatches said.

The clashes between Al-Nusra Front and the ISIL have prompted 60,000 people to flee towns in some districts in Syria.

Reports suggest that hundreds of militants on both sides have so far been killed in the internecine clashes.

Meantime, the Syrian army continued its military advances in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside, killing over a dozen Takfiri terrorists.

The army units killed at least 14 Jeish al-Islam terrorists in attacks on their positions in Eastern Ghouta.

The Jeish al-Islam militants tried to seize control of strategic regions in Eastern Ghouta in the last four days, but to no avail.

In a similar development on Sunday, 35 members of the Jeish al-Islam terrorist group were killed in army’s ambush operation in Eastern Ghouta.

The operation was carried out on Sunday night as the terrorists tried to infiltrate Jobar region in Eastern Ghouta.

The Syrian army forces in cooperation with the popular forces surrounded the terrorists and attacked them in an ambush operation, killing 35 members of Jeish al-Islam group in several-hour-long clashes.

Elsewhere, the Syrian Army and the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement continued hunting militants in the nearby areas and neighborhoods of Zabadani town, and took control of al-Zahra Castle and several other buildings.

The sources said, apart from advances of the army men and Hezbollah fighters on ground, the country’s fighter jets pounded the terrorists’ positions near the Al-Mahatta roundabout, leaving several casualties within their ranks.

Hezbollah fighters and the Syrian national military are engaged in a wide-scale military campaign against the Takfiri groups operating across Syria. Cleansing operations included so far Arsal barrens, Qalamoun region and Zabadani town.