Maaloula (Malula) situation as at September 16, 2013

Day 13 of  USA trained, funded and armed terrorists running rampant in the Christian stronghold. According to The Voice of Russia website, which has to be taken with a pinch of salt  because it is  pro-Assad,  the regime's  army has done wonders in Maaloula.  However,  there are other indications that the terrorists have captured more than a dozen of Assad's soldiers and have posted videos of them being interviewed.  One of those videos supposed to be of the Assad soldiers captured by the terrorists is below ... but I can't vouch for its authenticity.

.....Syrian forces kill 300-400 al-Nusra terrorists   near Maaloula.  Syrian regular forces are continuing an operation to force foreign back al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra terrorists from the Christian area of Syria, Maaloula, where the Monastery of Equal-to-the-Apostles St. Thekla (disciple of Apostle Paul) is located.

On Saturday, the Syrian army took the city under its control but terrorists continued to shell government forces from a gorge. Early on Sunday, about 100 gunmen made an attempt to get into a neighouring village but were repelled by the government troops and killed. The rest of the militants tried to break out of the gorge from the other side, offering a battle to the government forces.  So ... has the city been completely cleared of the terrorists that brought terror to its citizenry on September 4 and effectively started the exodus of Christians from that ancient city?  I don't know.



An Itar-Tass correspondent reported from the site that al-Nusra militants had knocked out a tank of the government forces. One of its crew members was killed, two others were taken to hospital in critical condition.
Syrian army helicopters periodically deliver air strikes at groups of militants. A fighter joined the operation in the evening.

A top-ranking Syrian army officer told Itar-Tass that the government forces on Sunday alone had killed from 300 to 400 terrorists. However, judging by the flow of ambulances rushing for the site of fighting, there are losses among the Syrian army as well.

The officer vowed that all the militants would be forced out of the city in a couple of days and journalists would be able to reach the Christian shrines in that city.

This week, Russian journalists made three attempts to get to the Monastery of Equal-to-the-Apostles St. Thekla but each time they had to retreat because of terrorist attacks.....