Supported by the Syrian air force, the country's army and the National Defense Forces managed to destroy a spate of Islamic militant strongholds to the east of Damascus, killing dozens of terrorists and wounding many more. In particular, the Syrian warplanes pummeled the militants' positions in the towns of Hazarma, al-Nashabiyah and Hosh al-Farah on Sunday, sources said. The fresh attacks came shortly after the Syrian army's artillery units obliterated militant strongholds in the outskirts of the Damascus suburb of Jobar and the suburban towns of Saqba and Zobedin in eastern Ghouta. n another development late last week, the army regained control of a spate of strategic areas in the northwestern province of Latakia. Scores of militants were killed after the Syrian troops, supported by Russian air strikes, launched an offensive on terrorists based in Latakia's mountainous regions, where the army took control of Tal Kherba, Al Juba and Height 1023. Also, the Syrian forces made significant gains against Daesh terrorists in Homs province, shelling and storming their strongholds, according to sources. They attacked the terrorists in the al-Dowah region west of Palmyra, and close to the towns of Tir Ma'ala, Quaryatayn (south of Homs), Talbiseh (north of Homs) and near the village of Maksar al-Hassaan in the east of the province. The army reported a heavy death toll among the terrorists. The Russian air campaign in Syria was launched on September 30, 2015, when more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, commenced precision airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria at the behest of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
