Syria Update: Latest Events - December 17, 2013

Syria Update: Latest Events

December 17, 2013

Damascus province. Counterterrorism operation has continued to free Yabrud city in Damascus province of Al-Nusra Front-affiliated as well as many other terrorist groups there. It has been reported that the Islamists there have held hostage 13 Maaloula nuns, kidnapped earlier from St.Thecla Convent in Maaloula.

Presently, the outskirts of Yabrud, as well as the seasonal housing area within the city, have already been cleared of all bandits. Thorough security inspections of the freed areas are underway. In the process, a number of improvised grenade launchers, used to fire locally produced rockets, have been found in the area. Terrorist underground tunnels and bunkers have also been discovered and large quantities of improvised explosive devices have been found and defused in the area.

According to the local residents, there had been many terrorists, including foreign mercenaries, in the outskirts of Yabrud. The bandits from Saudi Arabia, Libya, and a number of other countries, were said to have lived in the nearby houses. All the stores and dwelling houses in that neighborhood have been thoroughly looted by the bandits, who stole anything they could carry including kitchenware. The counterterrorism operation in the area is ongoing.

Al-Nabk city is slowly coming back to peaceful life. Local civilians, confident of the army’s imminent victory, are returning to their city. Earlier, they had to leave their homes to escape the terrorists’ viciousness. In the city streets, more than often, children’s voices can be heard already. During this cold season months, the authorities are doing everything necessary to restore as soon as possible the dwelling houses, to repair looted administrative buildings, schools, and electricity and water supply systems of the ravaged city.

Syrian army special brigades continue carrying out thorough investigation of the territory in and around the city. A large number of improvised explosive devices have already been disarmed. Many cars, which are listed as stolen from civilians have been located in the area.

In Deir Atieh town, liberated from Al-Nusra Front terrorist bands in Damascus province, reconstruction works are also underway. The town’s electricity and water supplies have been restored. At present, local dwelling houses, schools, and the town’s only hospital are being repaired. The hospital building itself had sustained great damages when sieged by terrorists. Peaceful life is coming back.      

ANNA-News Agency

Contributors: Marat Musin, Igor Nadyrshin, Vasily Pavlov, Victor Kuznetsov.

Syria