Syria Army Retakes Key Town East of Douma
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Syrian forces, backed by their allies, continued to make gains in their fight against Takfiri militants in the city of Douma, managing to retake Rayhan town in the East Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascus.
Syrian forces targeted the positions of Jaish al-Islam terrorists in the town, east of Douma, on Sunday, a military source told SANA on condition of anonymity.
The source added that Syrian army troops also regained control over the main road between Ibn Sina Hospital and Douma, which serves as an important supply and movement route for terrorists.
Meanwhile, Russia's military said an operation would begin on Sunday to bring Jaish al-Islam militants out of their besieged enclave of Douma, located about 10 kilometers northeast of the center of Damascus.
Major-General Yuri Yevtushenko, head of the Russian peace and reconciliation center in Syria, said the operation to take "irreconcilable militants" out of Douma would kick off any time soon.
There was no immediate comment from Jaish al-Islam though.
Separately, Syria’s state-run television network reported that negotiations between foreign-sponsored Jaish al-Islam militants and Syrian government forces about the situation in Douma will soon begin.
The fresh round of negotiations came after two days of an intense military showdown in Douma, where Jaish al-Islam militants reneged on a previous agreement for their evacuation from the area, and refused to release thousands of kidnapped people.
The militants also launched mortar attacks on several residential neighborhoods inside Damascus, which left several people killed and injured.
