Syrian Army Lays Complete Siege on Key Town in Dara’a Province

The Arabic language al-Hadath news website quoted field sources as saying that the army troops have trapped militants in al-Mahaja in a circle of forces after liberation of the town of al-Faqi on Saturday.

Al-Hadath added that there have been negotiations with terrorist groups in al-Mahaja to hand over control of the town to the army men without military operation.

Both reports and defense analysts said militants inside the town have no way out but to join the reconciliation process or leave the town towards militant-held regions in Idlib.

Al-Mahaja is of strategic importance as it overlooks directly the Dara’a-Damascus highway and is located near al-Lijah region that is one of the most important strongholds of the terrorists in Eastern Dara’a.

On Saturday, the army men engaged in fierce clashes with the terrorists groups in the Western flank of Dara’a-Damascus old road and took full control over al-Faqi town, leaving a number of militants dead or wounded.

The army soldiers also won back farms near al-Faqi.

A military source said that the army troops further took control of the villages of al-Serya and Borqa after winning back control over al-Faqi and its surrounding farms.

The army aircraft, for their part, pounded terrorist centers in the towns of Ibtta, Basri al-Harir, Zamrin, Um al-Owsaj and Dara’a al-Balad district in Dara’a city, while the army’s artillery units shelled terrorists’ positions in the towns of Ibtta and al-Yadouda in Dara’a province.