Syrian government forces, backed by Hezbollah resistance fighters, have reportedly entered the strategic town of Salma in Latakia as they continue their advances in the northwestern coastal province.
On Tuesday, Syrian forces broke through into eastern Salma, the main stronghold of militants in Latakia, according to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Official news agency SANA also reported that Syrian armed forces retook control of the Tartayah village as well as a number of hilltops in Latakia.
Elsewhere in the country, Syrian forces killed at least six foreign-backed terrorists, including a senior militant leader, in clashes with Takfiri militants, in the southwestern city of Dara’a, according to SANA.
The terrorist groups later confirmed on affiliated websites the death of a prominent leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front, identified by his nom guerre Abu Raghad, in Hauran.
They said he was shot and killed in Um al-Mayathen town, 10 kilometers southeast of Dara’a city, adding that five other militants were killed in the town of al-Sheikh Miskeen in Dara’a Province.
In Aleppo Province, the Syrian army destroyed vehicles belonging to terrorists in Bani Zaid neighborhood and the al-Lairamoun area.
The advances of the Syrian government forces against militants of Daesh and other terrorist groups have been expedited by the air cover provided by Russia, which began some six weeks ago.
Over 260,000 have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced as a result of the foreign-backed crisis in Syria since March 2011.