Syrian army makes major advances in Ain Tarma

The Syrian army made major advances in Ain Tarma strategic region in Damascus countryside.
The army units regained control over most parts of Matat and Tamico industrial complexes in Ain Tarma regions.
The Syrian army also continued its advances towards Jasrin district of Mleiha town also in Damascus countryside.
Matat and Tamico industrial complexes near Ain Tarma region are important because controlling them gives the army an upper-hand for gaining back control over strategic regions in Damascus countryside.
Tamico factory is one of the biggest pharmaceutical factories in Syria and it has been targeted by the militants on several occasions.
Meantime, the Syrian military sources strongly rejected militants' claims that they have regained control over a strategic military airport in Al-Reqqa province.
The Takfiri Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants had claimed that they have taken control of Tabaqeh military airport in Al-Reqqa province.
Heavy clashes between the Syrian army and the militants are still going on around Tabaqeh military airport.
Several groups of militants have entered Al-Reqqa province through Turkish borders to take control of the strategic locations in the province.
Elsewhere, a military source announced on Friday that the Syrian forces had gained the upper hand over foreign-backed militants across the outskirts of Aleppo and Deraa.
A large number of militants were killed and wounded and so many others fled the battlefronts after Syrian soldiers' massive attacks against their strongholds in al-Jubailiyeh area and cement factory in Aleppo.
Meantime, in heavy clashes between Syrian troops and militants, army won the battles in various fronts in the surrounding areas of al-Khalil Mosque in Swaidan neighborhood, to the East of al-Masri roundabout in al-Manshiyeh neighborhood in Daraa al-Balad, and to the Northeast part of al-Na’aimeh center in al-Na’aimeh town, to the South of al-Thaiyleh Tanker, and to the Westsouth of Tal al-Zaater .
Also, Syrian troops, in a series of operations, raided militants' gathering centers in Homs countryside and thwarted rebels' infiltrations attempts into Palmyra city, killing and wounding large groups of anti-government fighters.
A military source said that the brave Syrian soldiers targeted rebels' hideouts and camps in the countryside of Homs in Um Sharshouh, Talbiseh, Um al-Reesh and East of Rahoum village in Homs, which resulted in killing, wounding and arrest of too many foreign-backed fighters in the battle-fields.
Meantime, a convoy of rebels' vehicles carrying smuggled fuel was identified and exploded by the Syrian army men who killed scores of militants and wounded some others.
Also, several rebels tried to infiltrate into Palmyra's countryside to attack a gas station and a Telecommunication station in Jabal al-Shaer area, but failed due to courageous defense of Syrian forces, said the source, and added that so many rebels were killed in Jabal al-Shaer and so many others fled the battlefront.
The Syrian Army targeted gathering centers of the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the vicinity of Tabaqa military airport in Raqqa's countryside, killing at least 140 foreign-backed fighters.
Meantime, the US State Department announced that Some 12,000 foreign jihadists from 50 countries, including Americans, have gone to fight in Syria since the conflict began.
A US official estimated that more than 100 US citizens have traveled or tried to travel to Syria to join the conflict.
They have traveled to join radical groups, including ISIL, militants fighting the government of Bashar Assad in Syria who have expanded into neighboring Iraq.
"We think that there are approximately 12,000 fighters from at least 50 countries in Syria -- foreign fighters, including a number of Americans -- that may have traveled to Syria since the beginning of the conflict" more than three years ago, said Deputy State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf.
"They may all not still be there," she said, without revealing an estimated number of Americans.
US President Barack Obama is scheduled to host a Security Council summit with other heads of state focusing on the acute threat posed by foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq in late September.
During his August 12 visit to Sydney, Secretary of State John Kerry said that Washington and Australia agreed to take concerns about the threat posed by jihadist foreign fighters in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere to the United Nations.
Meantime, French President Francois Hollande said that France had delivered weapons to Syria terrorists "a few months ago".
Hollande claimed that the deliveries took place a few months ago when the so-called moderate militants were fighting the "jihadists" as well as the Syrian army.
Nevertheless France cannot "go it alone", stressed Hollande, adding there was "a good understanding with Europeans and the Americans."