Syrian army kills 2 al-Nusra ringleaders in Lattakia

The Syrian army continued its mop-up and military operations in Lattakia countryside in Northwestern Syria, killing tens of Al-Qaeda-linked armed rebels, including two notorious terrorist commanders. The army killed 29 Al-Nusra Front terrorists, including two ringleaders named Maher al-Shadad and Eiman Ahmad, in heavy clashes in al-Kert village in Reef (countryside of) Lattakia. Several non-Syrian armed rebels, including a Libyan citizen named Abdelsalam Al-Salal and a Moroccan named Ahmad Abu Sabreh, have been identified among the dead. The Syrian army also destroyed seven DshK-equipped vehicles in Reef Lattakia. The conflict in Syria started in March 2011, when sporadic pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of western and regional states. The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle-East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history. As the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria continues without an end in sight, the US government has boosted its political and military support to Takfiri extremists. Washington has remained indifferent to warnings by Russia and other world powers about the consequences of arming militant groups.