Syrian caretaker Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij visited the town of al-Mleiha in Eastern Ghouta, Damascus Countryside, which was recently retaken by the Syrian army.

Syrian caretaker Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij visited the town of al-Mleiha in Eastern Ghouta, Damascus Countryside, which was recently retaken by the Syrian army.

Accompanied by a number of General Command officers, al-Freij, who is also Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Syria’s armed forces, inspected on Sunday the army units which restored security and stability to the town and checked on the soldiers.

The Syrian Arab Army assumed control of al-Mleiha, which is located southeast of the capital, last Thursday following months of intense operations against the terrorist organizations that had overrun it, flushing them out from their dens and pushing them farther away from the capital.

Al-Freij was briefed by field commanders on the nature of the military operations which the Syrian army carried out in al-Mleiha and the surrounding farms that led to the victory there.

He applauded the combat capability and morale of the army personnel, saying “they are performing their sacred duty of defending the homeland and citizens.”

The retaking of al-Mleiha “is a key step towards eliminating the remaining pockets of terrorists in Eastern Ghouta,” al-Freij said, according to official news agency, SANA.

He conveyed to the army personnel who restored security and stability to al-Mleiha President Bashar al-Assad’s “greetings, love, as well as pride in the sacrifices and heroic achievements they made in the city and are making all over the country to rid it of terrorists.”

“This victory is part of a string of victories being achieved by our Armed Forces,” said the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, stressing that the Syrian Arab Army will continue to press ahead with confronting terrorism and will not rest until security and stability are restored to each and every area in Syria.