Syrian troops recapture key suburb near Damascus

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DAMASCUS, Oct. 24 -- The Syrian army on Thursday regained full control of a strategic suburb of Damascus, thus completing a full siege against rebels east of the Syrian capital, the state-run SANA news agency reported.

The army regained control of Htaitet al-Turkman suburb southeast of Damascus after a 48-hour-long operation that resulted in the killing of at least 100 rebels, SANA said.

Meanwhile, military experts said the new victory is of a great significance as the recapture means the road to the Damascus airport is secure and mortar attacks by the rebels against the capital should decrease.

By the recapture, the rebels, who are entrenched in the eastern al-Ghouta suburb, are now besieged in all directions and severed from any source of reinforcement.

The new tactic of the Syrian army -- to impose tough siege on rebel-held areas -- has pushed the rebels to increase the mortar firing from their areas against districts inside Damascus.

While the rebels claim that their mortars are directed toward military and security positions, the reality is that, in most cases, the mortars hit populated areas, killing and injuring civilians, including women and children.

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