Reports from Syria suggest that Syrian forces have inflicted heavy losses on the US sponsored Al Nusra mercenary force and its affiliated formations have inflicted heavy losses.
Press reports confirm that the rebel stronghold of Al Qusayr on the Northern border of Lebanon is now under the control of government forces. (See map)
Key government buildings are under control of Syrian forces. The location of Quisayr was strategic for the rebels in view of its border location. It was a point 0f entry of mercenary forces into Syria from Lebanon.
According to the BBC:
“Opposition groups say militants from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement are fighting alongside government forces. … There are also reports that hundreds of Lebanese Sunni militants have joined the fight on the rebels’ side, our correspondent says.
These reports have been denied by the Syrian government.
Other areas targeted by Syrian forces were in the surrounding countryside of Damascus.
According to Syria’s official New Agency SANA.
The armed forces’ units continued on Sunday operations against the armed terrorist groups in Hejjira, al-Qasimieh, Tal Kerdi, Adra and Jobar in Damascus countryside, inflicting heavy losses upon them.
An official source told SANA that a number of dens were destroyed in Hejjira with the weapons and terrorists inside, among them Samir Qashash and the Egyptian terrorist Yassin Shawqieh.
An official source told SANA that the armed forces’ units pursued an armed terrorist group in a series of operations in the farms surrounding the towns of al-Qasimieh, al-Jarba al-Baharieh in the eastern Ghouta [Eastern part of Damascus], killing and injuring a number of terrorists. The terrorist Anas Haymour, leader of a terrorist group, was identified among the dead.
A unit of the armed forces also destroyed in a qualitative operation a terrorists’ gathering in Tal Kerdi town in Douma, killing several terrorists, among them Mohammad Jarada and Mohammad al-Rihani, as another group killed terrorists in Harasta western farms, among them Khaled Shabraq of the so-called Dir’a al-Asema (The Armor of the Capital) brigade.
In Adra al-Balad, units of the armed forces destroyed a weapons’ cache and killed several terrorists, among them Hassan Hamo and a sniper.
In Jobar, an army unit clashed with an armed terrorist group to the east of the cardboard factory, killing three terrorists, among them Amer Jamal Eddin.
Stability was Restored to al-Mestah Area in Barzeh
A unit of the armed forces clashed with armed terrorist groups in Barzeh and the farms surrounding it, killing and injuring a number of terrorists.
An official source told SANA reporter that the clash resulted in killing and injuring a number of terrorists.
Munib Shaleh, the leader of one of the armed terrorist groups, Mazen al-Masri, and Libyan terrorist Omar Obeid al-Jasem were identified among the dead.
The source added that the army restored stability and security to the whole area of al-Mestah in Barzeh, killing a number of terrorists.
The source said that a unit of the armed forces clashed with armed terrorist groups while trying to be localized in the area surrounding Tishreen Hospital in order to attack the hospital and the adjacent residential neighborhoods.
The army unit killed a big number of the terrorist groups’ members.
Two Booby-Trapped Cars Detonated in Homs Countruyside
Two suicide terrorists detonated two booby-trapped cars near the blankets factory on al-Mesherfeh -Homs road and near Souk al-Ghanam on Homs-Salameih road, causing the killing of a number of citizens and the injury of others.
An official source in the province told SANA reporter that the two terrorist explosions caused the martyrdom of 4 citizens and the injury of 13 others and big material damages in the sites .
In the framework of targeting the infrastructure, terrorists belonging to Jabhat al-Nusra fired mortar shells on Mhardeh electricity generation plant in Hama countryside.
A military source said that the terrorist attack caused fire in the plant, asserting that the firefighters team managed to extinguish the fire.
The source added that units of the armed forces killed a number of terrorists from Jabhat al-Nusra in Halfaya town in Hama countryside and destroyed a rocket launcher and heavy machineguns.
The source said that terrorists’ attempt to detonate scores of explosive devices with various weighs planted on the roads leading to Halfaya town was foiled.
Army Seizes Israeli-Made Rocket, Eliminates Terrorists in Homs and Idleb
A unit of the armed forces seized an Israeli-made LAO rocket and amounts of machineguns and ammunitions which the terrorists were using to terrify the citizens and cut the roads on Homs-Palmyra highway.
An official source told SANA reporter that a unit of the armed forces clashed with an armed terrorist group in al-Rayan area on Homs-Palmyra highway, killing and injuring a number of its members and seized an Israeli-made LAO rocket, two BKC machineguns, two sniper rifles and 11 boxes of ammunitions.
In Idleb, a military source said that units of the army destroyed terrorists’ hideouts in Mishmishan, Beshlamoon, Ein al-Bardeh, Ein al-Qasab in Jisr al-Shughour countryside.
The source added that a number of terrorists were killed and injured in the villages of Taftanaz, Maarat Misrin, al-Habbat, Buhura, and Kafr Takharim and their weapons were seized.(SANA, May 19, 2013)
Michel Chossudovsky contributed to this report
