Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Crushes Terrorist Strongholds in Idlib Countryside

The Syrian army destroyed the gathering centers of terrorists in Idlib countryside in the Northern parts of the country, killing tens of terrorists and injuring dozens more.
The army destroyed terrorists’ dens and hideouts and killed scores of them in Binish, Maarat al-Numan, Koren, Khan Sheikhoun, Kfar Jales in Idlib countryside.

The army units also destroyed the positions of the Al-Nusra Front terrorists in a number of villages and towns in Idlib countryside.

In Sarmin town, 7 kilometers to the Northeast of Idlib city, an army unit destroyed terrorists’ vehicles equipped with heavy machineguns.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army killed and wounded a large number of al-Nusra Front terrorists in heavy clashes in Southwestern Quneitra province.

Bir Ajam in the countryside of al-Quneitra province was the scene of bloody clashes between the Syrian soldiers and the terrorist of al-Qaeda-affiliated groups of al-Nusra that left dozens of killed and wounded fighters and fled the battlefield.

Elsewhere, Syrian army troops killed many al-Nusra Front terrorists in Daraa city as the army continues to advance against the foreign-backed militants.

The army destroyed an armored vehicle of al-Nusra Front on the road of al-Sad in Daraa city.

The troops also destroyed another vehicle and killed all terrorists onboard in Western al-Mlaiha village in the countryside of Daraa province.

Meantime, Syrian forces conducted successful military operations against the foreign-sponsored militants in many areas across the Northern city of Aleppo.

The army targeted two terrorists’ gathering centers in Bab al-Hadid neighborhood in the city of Aleppo, killing 69 terrorists, a security source said.

The source added that 9 terrorists were killed, 13 others were injured in Kadi Askar neighborhood. Six of the militants’ vehicles were also destroyed.

Meanwhile, the army killed 17 terrorists in Sheikh Khedur neighborhood.

Concentration centers of the Takfiri militants were targeted in military operations in the old city of Aleppo and Bani Zaid neighborhood.

Also, Kurdish fighters advanced against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists in their stronghold in Syria’s Northern Raqqa province.

A spokesman for the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) said YPG forces had taken over “a very large cement factory” in Raqqa province.

“The YPG have been trying to take this area for a long time,” Newaf Khalil said.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reported the event, saying that Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) “took over a large cement factory and three villages” Northwest of the town of Ain Issa.

Rami Abdel Rahman, Head of the Britain-based Observatory, said the YPG had fought “fierce clashes” against ISIL terrorists in the past 48 hours and were now in control of a total of villages in the area.

At least six ISIL fighters had been killed in Sunday’s clashes, bringing to 20 the death toll for the Takfiri group during the past two days, he said.

There was no immediate information on Kurdish casualties.

Ain Issa is less than 60 kilometers (35 miles) from Raqqa city.

It also lies just 45 kilometers South of Tal Abyad, a border town used by ISIL as a gateway for terrorists coming in from Turkey.

Meantime, at least 6,000 Europeans fighting with Takfiri terrorist groups in Syria, a senior EU official said.

“At the European level, we estimate that 5,000-6,000 individuals have left for Syria,” EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jouriva told Le Figaro in an interview, adding the true number was likely to be far higher due to the difficulty of tracking foreign fighters in the conflict.

“At the time of the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, we decided not to allow ourselves to be guided by fear,” she said, referring to January’s twin Takfiri attacks in the French capital and the subsequent deadly shootings on a cultural center in Denmark.

Focusing on those seeking to leave for Syria to wage Takfiri militancy, or those returning from the conflict, meant intervening “too late”, she said.

Jouriva said the EU instead wanted to promote prevention as a means of curtailing the steady flow of European nationals.

Another focus for the EU was speeding up the exchange of information between the police forces and court systems of member states, she said, with more intelligence sharing required.

Meantime, some 136 foreign-backed militants fighting against Damascus government surrendered to the Syrian authorities.

One hundred and thirty-six militants from the city of Aleppo and its countryside, who were on the Syrian government’s wanted list, turned themselves in to competent authorities on Sunday to be pardoned.

Syrian officials say those who have not committed crimes will be released if they promise not to carry arms and avoid threatening the country’s national security.

Meanwhile, some 27 wanted people from the cities of Homs and Hama surrendered on April 6.

Elsewhere, Syrian army troops targeted al-Nusra Front terrorists in a village in the countryside of Damascus, leaving a group of them dead.

Hideouts of al-Nusra Front terrorists in Ein al-Bustan village to the North of Saasa town in Damascus countryside were destroyed in a military operation.

Several terrorists were killed and injured in the operation.

The army also injured a number of terrorists at the Southern part of Marwan hill near Magr al-Meer village, a security source said.