Syrian forces recapture towns from rebels

Syrian troops Saturday made fresh progress in their battles in the southern province of Daraa as part of a declared offensive to dislodge the rebels from key areas there, media reported.

The Syrian government forces recaptured the towns of Tal Qarin and other "strategic" towns in the triangle of the northwestern countryside of Daraa, the province of Qunaitera, southwest of the capital Damascus, Xinhua news agency reported citing state-run SANA.

The progress in Tal Qarin comes after Syrian forces "destroyed the last remaining positions of the terrorists and their collapsed allies there".

Over this month, Syrian forces succeeded in capturing a number of strategic towns in Daraa, namely Deir Adas, Danji and Deir Maker, as well as Tal Mari, Tal Arous and Tal Sarjeh.

Large numbers of the rebel Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front members were killed during the offensive.

The state media said the Syrian army's offensive in the triangle of Damascus, Daraa and Qunaitera was aimed at cutting the rebels' supply lines from Jordan, near Daraa, and Israel, near Qunaitera.