Militants admit defeat in Lattakia battle

The militant groups fighting against the Damascus government in Lattakia admitted defeat in their battles in there. Militants said that the army has conducted extensive military operations in Lattakia and forced them to seek help from other groups in nearby regions, FNA dispatches said. Also in the past 24 hours, the informed military sources disclosed that the Syrian army has been successful in nearly one third of its battles against the foreign-backed militants in different parts of Syria. The most important battle of the Syrian army was in Al-Qalamoun region in Damascus countryside. The army regained full control over Al-Qalamoun. Meantime, informed sources dismissed some media reports that a bomb-laden car caused massive casualties in Damascus countryside. Some Arab media claimed that a large number of civilians have been killed or wounded in a car bomb blast near Khaled Ibn Waleed mosque in the town of Dummar in Damascus countryside. Speaking to FNA, informed sources said that the blast in Dummar town did not cause any casualties as the bomb was planted underneath a car and not inside it. It noted that the blast only resulted in material damage and no casualties were reported. Elsewhere, the Syrian army succeeded in restoring relative calm to the Aleppo city as the country's air force also conducted fresh operations in Taftaz military airport in Idlib in the Northwestern parts of the country. The army units put an end to the constant attacks by the militants in Aleppo after two weeks of fierce clashes and restored relative calm and stability to the region. Meanwhile, the Syrian air force carried out a series of operations in Taftaz military airport in Northeastern Idlib and destroyed the militants' positions in the same area. Elsewhere, the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front committed a suicide attack against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Hasaka countryside in the Northeastern parts of Syria, and killed a large number of ISIL militants. According to an ISIL statement, a suicide bomber from the Al-Nusra Front detonated his explosive belt after he entered the ISIL concentration center in Eastern Al-Ghariba village in Hasaka, killing himself and tens of ISIL members. "Abu Mohammad Al-Julani (Al-Nusra chief) sent a suicide bomber to target ISIL members stationed in Eastern Ghariba village and he succeeded in getting close to our men who were in a house and explode himself," it added. The ISIL further threatened the Al-Nusra Front with full-fledged battle. Also, citizens of Khan Arnabeh town in Quneitra countryside took to the streets Monday to express support for the Syrian army in confronting terrorism. Elsewhere, Syrian army destroyed armed groups in several provinces on Monday, killing and injuring their members and destroying their tools. An army unit found a factory used by the armed groups for manufacturing explosives and rocket and mortar shells in Assal al-Ward and al-Matmoura area in al-Qalamoon in Damascus Countryside. A military source told FNA that army units killed and injured a number of militants in al-Ramouseh and al-Ma’mal area in Sheikh Sa’ad neighborhood in Aleppo city. Another military source said that an army unit destroyed the hideout of the leaders of militant groups with all the militants inside in Bab Hud neighborhood in the old city of Homs. The army also killed and injured militants to the East of the building of the civil affairs and al-Zahabi street in the neighborhood. Meantime, a military source told the Syrian state news agency that army units confronted armed groups tried to attack military checkpoints in Tal Amri, al-Meshrefeh, al-Ghasbiyeh, Tal Qatri and Ein al-Dananeer in Homs countryside, killing 40 militants and injuring others, among them 5 leaders of the armed groups. The source said that army units regained control over a number of buildings to the Northeast of al-Walidiyeh school and schools gathering in Jeb al-Jandali neighborhood, killing and injuring a number of militants in the neighborhoods of the old city of Homs.