Syrian army captures key hub in southern Daraa
Xinhua, February 5, 2016 Adjust font size:
The Syrian army captured on Friday a key hub in the southern province of Daraa, further exposing key roads and supply lines, a monitor group reported.
Intense battles continued after midnight between the Syrian army and the rebels in the town of Atman in the northern outskirts of Daraa, coupled by heavy shelling on the town.
A surface-to-surface missile was fired on the town, after which the Syrian army has become in full control of the town, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The UK-based watchdog group said the town is situated on the northern gate of Daraa, and close to the rebel-held Artillery Battalion. The town is also located near the road connecting Daraa with the capital Damascus.
The town also has several routes into the city of Daraa.
The progress is the latest victory the Syrian army has made in Daraa, the birthplace of the Syrian conflict.
Late last month, the military forces backed by Iranian officers and fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah Shiite group as well as Russian air cover succeeded to take full control of the key city of Sheikh Miskeen in the countryside of Daraa, following the larges-scale offensive unleashed by the Syrian forces on Dec. 28 of last year. End it