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Syrian army captures strategic mountain chain in Latakia

Xinhua, February 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Syrian army took full control over a strategic mountain chain in northwestern province of Latakia near Turkey on Sunday, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The military forces recaptured the entire chain of al-Rous Mountain, overlooking town of Kinsabba, the last major rebel stronghold in the countryside of Latakia.

The chain constitutes of five high hills, and its capture has enabled the Syrian army to expose the depth of Kinsabba, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the oppositional Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said intense battles continued after midnight between the Syrian army, which is backed by Russian soldiers and a Russian operation room in Latakia, and jihadist groups in several areas in northern Latakia, including al-Rous Mountain.

Capturing al-Rous is the latest in a series of sweeping victories the Syrian army made against the Turkey and Saudi-backed militants in northern Syria.

A military officer told Xinhua recently that the aim of the battles in Latakia is to start closing borders with Turkey, from where most of foreign jihadists are infiltrating into Syria.

On Sunday, the Syrian army called on the armed militants in several Syrian areas to lay down their weapons, state news agency SANA reported.

In a statement addressing the rebels in the southern province of Daraa, the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus and the northern province of Aleppo, the military urged the rebels to "hasten to reconcile with the government and return to their normal lives."

The statement stressed that all those who lay down their weapons will "instantly" be cleared.

The long-running conflict has killed at least 250,000 people, and driven 11 million from their homes. Endit