Syria Army Begins Major Offensive against Terrorists in Damascus Suburbs
DAMASCUS (Tasnim) – Syria’s army and its allies began a major military offensive against Takfiri terrorists in the suburbs of the capital, Damascus.
According to Tasnim dispatches, the Syrian army, backed by the Arab country’s warplanes, on Sunday morning started a major ground operation against the Takfiri terrorists in the Eastern Ghouta district and moved towards the towns of al-Nashabiyah and the hilltop of Tal Farzat.
The positions of the militants in the areas of Kafr Batna, Jisreen, Ein Tarma and Harasta were heavily pounded by the Syrian jets in the first phase of the military operation.
In the past few days, Eastern Ghouta near Damascus has witnessed renewed violence with terrorists mounting repeated mortar attacks on the Syrian capital in the face of an imminent rout. Western powers, however, blame the Syrian government and Russia for the crisis.
Following the approval of a recent UNSC resolution demanding a 30-day truce in Syria, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said those parts of Damascus suburbs that are under terrorists’ control will not be included in the ceasefire, adding that the cleansing operation will continue in those areas.
Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia also said that the resolution does not preclude Syrian forces from targeting Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) and al-Nusra Takfiri militants operating in some parts of the Arab country.
The ceasefire does not preclude forces inside Syria from targeting “Islamic State (Daesh), Al Nusrah and other extremist organizations,” Nebenzia said on Saturday after the ceasefire was voted for.