Heavy clashes erupted between army soldiers and terrorists in Barzeh which has been one of the most volatile areas near the capital Damascus in the recent months, al-Alam correspondent reported on Wednesday,
Al-Suwayda neighborhood located in Barzeh which is filled with gardens and villas is reported to be the terrorists’ main hideout in this town.
According to an army commando, units of soldiers have advanced within nearly 80 percent of al-Suwayda and they are expecting to clear the whole neighborhood by the end of the day.
A large number of the militants killed in the Wednesday operation have been identified as Libyan, Afghan, Caucasian, Egyptian, Tunisian and Saudi nationals.
The high number of foreign nationals identified in the battles between the army and insurgents indicates increasing infiltration of foreigners who illegally enter the country and are often affiliated with extremist and terrorist groups, our correspondent said.
Barzeh is a strategic town due to its closeness to the capital as well as volatile Jobar town which has also been the scene of heavy clashes between extremist groups and the army.
Syria crisis started as pro-reform protests but with interventions by the United States, UK and their regional and Western allies it soon turned to a massive insurgency which took in numerous terrorist groups from all over Europe and the Middle East to wage one of the bloodiest wars the region has ever experienced.
The war, which many fear is turning to a “war of hatred”, has already taken more than 90,000 lives.