Massive gains have been made by the FSA in Qalamoun, north of Damascus, even without the use of recently captured anti-tank weapons, activists said.
The Liwa al-Islam Brigade and Ahrar al-Sham groups captured tanks and ammunition from regime brigade 81 base, in Ruhaiba city, 45km east Damascus, according to a Zaman al-Wasl reporter.
Some 62 civilians, including women and children were killed by regime mortar fire in response to the battle to liberate the Qalamoun hill, considered the biggest military arsenal in Syria and home to dozens of towns and villages.
Liwa al-Islam said in a statement that "dozens of Assad's soldiers have been killed while 50 rebels have been martyred," in the battle.
"If the rebels can block the highway this will be a massive blow to the regime, interrupting its main line of communication with Damascus and the south of the country," one activist said.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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