Hundreds of militants were killed or injured in the clashes which stopped an attack by armed groups who were trying to enter the capital from the south.

“The southern front from Beit Sahm-Sidi Miqdad side is surrounded now to stop armed men from entering Damascus and there have been clashes at the hearts of these two towns,” a Syrian army officer told al-Alam correspondent on Tuesday.

At least 17 other militants were killed by the National Defense forces in separate clashes at the Yarmouk Camp where a group of insurgents had planned to infiltrate into Damascus.

According to the reports, the army has been successful in containing the bloody insurgency in Rif Damascus during the past weeks.

Syria has been gripped by unrest for more than two years. The foreign-sponsored militancy has taken its toll on the lives of many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel.