Syrian troops advance in al-Qussair city, killing 50

Syria's government troops continued to advance in the strategic city of al-Qussair on Sunday, killing 50 rebels, pro-government Sham FM reported. The troops regained the al-Hamidieh town in northern al-Qussair on Sunday, while clashes were still going on in the southern part of al-Qussair, where violent and decisive battles have been raging on for over a week already. Also in al-Qussair, the army fully seized the eastern entrance of the city's northern neighborhood and the road connecting al- Daba'a military airport with the city, cutting off all supply lines of the rebels, according to the report. The army dismantled tens of explosive devices planted by the rebels along public roads and residential buildings in the focal point city, demolished many trenches in the area, and also destroyed a number of dens in al-Haidariya, Arjoun, al-Dhabaa villages in the countryside of al-Qussair. The pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV placed the overall number of rebels currently fighting against the government troops in al-Qussair at 3,000. The Syrian army pushed its way into al-Qussair city early last Sunday after taking control of its suburb following 46 days of battling. The offensive aims to cut the rebels' main supply line in the central region of the country.