With the help of local residents, Tal al-Nabi Mando region in Homs province was successfully cleared of foreign-backed militants on Thursday. Several civilians had been killed and homes robbed by the armed rebels who occupied Tal al-Nabi Mando.

In the town of Hesh of Aleppo province, government forces also killed the commander of al-Ummah terrorist group, Abu Baraa al-Shishani, during a separate operation.

Army operations continued in other parts of the country including al-Ladhiqiyah, in which they fought with terrorist groups, killing many of them.

Saudi, Kuwaiti and Yemeni nationalities have been identified among the dead bodies.

Syria has been facing an armed insurgency since March 2011 that has left thousands of people dead. Since beginning of the unrest the Syrian government has insisted that the insurgency was orchestrated from outside the country.