On Monday, Syrian forces pushed out the foreign-sponsored militants from al-Sukari, Karem Mayser, Qadi Askar and Bustan al-Kase on the outskirts of Aleppo, an unnamed military source told official SANA news agency.

The Syrian troops also destroyed weapons and ammunition belonging to the militants during the operation.

According to military sources, Syrian soldiers confronted militants that were trying to infiltrate into Syria from Lebanon, killing and wounding a number of them.

The army forces also stormed militants’ hideouts in the southern city of Dara'a, eliminating their weapons and ammunition.

The gains came a day after the government troops took over key areas in the suburbs of the city of Adra near the capital Damascus. A large number of militants were killed during the operation.

Since its capture, militants have committed many atrocities against the residents of Adra. They have been involved in a series of kidnappings and executions, especially targeting religious minority groups in the city over the past few days.

The war in Syria started in March 2011, when pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of Western and regional states.

The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.

According to the United Nations, more than 120,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the turmoil that has gripped Syria for over two years.

RA/NJF