Syrian rebels have ambushed forces loyal to Bashar Assad near the rebel-held Yabroud, leaving 75 dead, pro-opposition activists said on Tuesday.
The Qalamoun Media Center said more than 350 soldiers, mostly from the Rebublican Guards, have been killed since the major offensive began, targeting the strategic town near the Lebanese border three weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Assad’s helicopters dropped explosives-packed barrels near the Yabroud area, AFP reported.
The strikes come a day after at least 15 rebels were killed fighting in the Yabroud area, north of Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group relying on contacts inside the war-torn country.
The group supported reports from activists on the ground, who said the village of Sahel is still a contested area, a day after the army claimed it had taken it over completely.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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