Syrian Army kills large number of militants in NW

The Syrian Army has killed a large number of militants during clashes in the Idlib governorate in the country’s northwest as fighting continues between government troops and foreign-backed armed groups.

The militants were killed in the al-Mastoumeh town of the governorate on Monday, the official SANA news agency reported.

Government troops also destroyed the militants’ hideouts and confiscated their weapons.

The Army also killed and wounded many members of armed terrorist groups in the Taftanaz, Taoum, and Binnish towns in the Idlib countryside.

In addition, the security forces engaged militants on the outskirts of Damascus and killed several armed men on Monday. The Syrian troops also destroyed their hideouts and confiscated weapons.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

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

Several international human rights organizations have accused foreign-sponsored militants of committing war crimes.