The Syrian army was now in near total control of the Qalamoun region, west of Damascus.

Dozens of opposition fighters reportedly handed themselves over to the Syrian authorities.

Militants did not deny losing the town, located 30 kilometers northwest of Damascus. Opposition activists say the militants had no other choice but to surrender.

Opposition activist Tayem al-Qalamouni said: "They were forced to accept the truce because supply lines were cut. There was no safe corridor."

"The area has been sealed off by the Syrian army on one side and the Lebanese army and militias on the other side."

Syrian forces, with the help of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, took control of Yabroud, Nabk, Ras al-Ayn, Rankous and other towns and cities in the Qalamoun region over the past few weeks.

Following the recent advances, the government has now opened the Damascus-Homs highway.

Syrian military troops have also carried out more successful operations against intruding armed insurgents in a number of locations in Homs and Aleppo, inflicting major blows on foreign-backed terrorists, killing and wounding a huge number of militants and destroying their arms and ammunition.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. An estimated 140,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by the Western-backed insurgents.

According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the insurgents operating inside Syria.

NTJ/HH