Syria militants suffer heavy losses in Damascus clashes

Foreign-backed militants have reportedly suffered heavy losses after clashes with government troops over control of a key highway in Damascus.

Syrian Army forces battled the militants on Saturday, one day after they cut off the strategic route near the capital.

Government forces also confronted militants in several other areas.

In the northern city of Aleppo, several militants were killed in clashes with Syrian soldiers and their equipment and vehicles were destroyed.

Government soldiers also carried out a series of operations against armed groups in the northwestern province of Idlib, inflicting heavy losses on them.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are supporting the armed groups.