Syrian soldiers killed and injured a number of militants in several villages, including Salma, Dorin, al-Dweirkeh, Khan al-Jouz, and al-Kabir in the northern suburbs of Lattakia, the official SANA news agency reported on Monday.

Army units also continued their mop-up operations in al-Mleiha, situated in the Eastern Ghouta region near the capital Damascus, and killed dozens of militants.

Numbers of militants were also killed in clashes with Syrian soldiers in Joubar and Ein Turma in the countryside of Damascus.

Syrian troops also inflicted heavy losses on militants who tried to attack the southern and western parts of Kherbet Ghazaleh village in Daraa countryside.

Army units also killed and injured a number of militants in Housh al-Sharid in Allajat area in the countryside of Daraa.

Syrian government forces also stormed militant hideouts in Deir Hafer, Erbid, the industrial city in Sheikh Najjar, Handrat, al-Jubailah, and al-Lairamoun neighborhoods in Aleppo, killing scores of them and destroying their weapons.

Over the past months, the Syrian army has achieved major victories in its battle against Takfiri groups across the Arab country, particularly in the Qalamoun region near the Lebanese border.

Syria is preparing to hold an important presidential election on June 3.

Last month, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the Takfiri war in his country had strongly shifted in favor of government forces as they had made continuous gains in their battle against terrorists.

President Assad has also pledged to strike terror “with an iron fist.”

BA/BA