AP Photo/ Alexander Kots
The Syrian Army has managed to regain control of the Christian villages of Mheen and Hawwarin, located in southeastern Homs province, a source in the Syrian military told RIA Novosti.
“The army has regained control over the Christian villages of Mheen and Hawwarin in the southeastern part of Homs province. Scores of terrorists were killed,” source said.
The village of Mheen was seized by Islamic State militants on November 1. The attack on the settlement, populated mostly by Christians, was supported by Islamic radicals from the region. Christians from the neighboring village of Sadad fled, fearing for their lives.
At the moment, the ISIL militants still maintain their hold over the settlement of Al Quaryatayn.
The sources said that after a ten-day-long period of joint operation, carried out by the pro-government forces and the significant role of the Russian bombardments, the militants retreated their forces from almost 200 kilometers of Lattakia’ territories.
The 10-day-long operation inflicted heavy casualties on the militant groups, whose military grid also sustained large damage.
On Sunday, the Syrian army and popular forces purged the terrorists and advanced to areas near the Turkish borders.