Army continues mop-up ops across Syria, kills dozens of militants

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:16AM GMT

The Syrian army continues its mop-up operations against the militants across the country, killing dozens of them, military sources say.

Army troops have killed a number of al-Qaeda-linked militants in eastern Ghouta District on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.

Similar operations were carried out in Latakia and Hasaka provinces as well as the flashpoint northern city of Aleppo.

Meanwhile, government forces have clashed with a group of militants in Deir Ezzor City near the border with Turkey.

The militants were trying to smuggle 15 tankers of stolen crude oil into Turkey. Some 30 militants were killed in the clashes.

The army has recently conducted successful clean-up operations in the country, inflicting heavy losses on the Takfiri militants.

Syria has been experiencing deadly unrest since 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security forces, have been killed in the violence.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies - especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey - are supporting the militants.

DB/HJL