TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Syria’s official news agency SANA that Syrian army forces had received a battle tank, a rocket launcher, two armored vehicles, three sport utility vehicles equipped with 14.5mm machine guns, a ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" Soviet-built anti-aircraft weapon system, a 122mm cannon, tank shells and mortars of various calibers from extremists in Jubata al-Khashab town.
‘Syrian army preparing operation to liberate Idlib’
Meanwhile, an unnamed Syrian military source has told the Arabic service of Russia’s Sputnik news agency that government forces are dispatching military equipment and personnel to the borders of the country’s militant-controlled northwestern province of Idlib, and are preparing for a large-scale operation to clear the area of terrorists.
“Military units are being deployed north of Hama province. The next stage will be to launch an offensive on the position of the so-called Jaysh al-Izza (the Army of Glory) terrorists in the villages of Kafr Zita, al-Lataminah, Latmin, Zakat Arbaen, al-Lahaya and Maarkabah,” the source said.
The source added, “The army is receiving information that militants in the northern part of the country are preparing to launch a broad offensive on the positions of the Syrian army. All necessary measures have been taken to strengthen our positions, which will enable the army to thwart possible assaults.”
A great proportion of Idlib province is currently under the control of foreign-backed Takfiri militant groups.
The territory has witnessed cases of bitter clashes between members of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, and al-Qaeda-linked Ahrar al-Sham militants in recent months.
Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country.
On May 21, the General Command of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces announced in a statement that complete security was restored to Damascus and its countryside after al-Hajar al-Aswad district and al-Yarmouk camp were totally purged of Daesh terrorists.
The development was preceded by flushing the Takfiris out of the towns of Yalda, Babbila and Beit Sahem on the southern outskirts of Damascus.
Source: Press TV