Syrian Army Encircles Hundreds of Daesh Terrorists in Continuing Crackdown

Backed by the Syrian Air Force, the country's army and National Defense Forces (NDF) have clamped down on the terrorists' positions throughout Syria over the past 24 hours, according to the Iranian news agency FARS. 

Dozens of terrorists were killed and many more wounded after the army launched military operations in the provinces of Aleppo, Daraa, Damascus, Hama, Homs, Idlib, Latakia and Hama, sources said. On Saturday, the Syrian Army's Tiger Forces, backed by its Desert Hawks Brigade and Cheetah Forces, took back the city of Aleppo's thermal power plant and completed the encirclement of a region east of Aleppo's airport along the strategic Aleppo-Raqqa highway, trapping 800 Daesh terrorist fighters.  

"At least 70 militants were eliminated and over 60 more injured as a result of Syrian Air Force airstrikes against Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) command posts in the regions of Jeb Ghabsha and Al-Bab…in Aleppo province," a military source was quoted by FARS as saying.

In Daraa, militants also suffered heavy losses after the Syrian warplanes along with Syrian Artillery units pounded militants' positions in the towns of Busra, Tafas, Aqrabaa and Jemree.

In a separate development, the army launched offensive on the Daesh and Al-Nusra terrorists' strongholds in northern and southeastern Homs Province, where scores of them were killed and wounded.

Military sources also reported about militants suffering heavy casualties during the army's attacks on the terrorists' positions in the eastern districts of the capital city of Damascus as well as in the western province of Latakia.

"The Syrian Army, in cooperation with the NDF, established control over Sheir al-Qaboa, al-Amouli Mountain and Point 422 after heavy clashes with the militants in the region, and inflicted heavy casualties on them," the sources said.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting opposition factions and terrorist groups such as Daesh and the Al-Nusra Front, which are banned in Russia.

Adding to the Syrian Army's anti-terror effort is Russia's ongoing air campaign in Syria which was launched on September 30, when more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, commenced precision airstrikes on Daesh and Al-Nusra Front targets in Syria at the behest of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

In addition, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed earlier this month that advanced, super-maneuverable Su-35S multi-role fighters had begun their combat mission in Syria.