BEIRUT: Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV announced Sunday that the group’s fighters along with the Syrian army entered Zabadani, capturing an area west of the strategic Syrian Qalamoun town.
The news comes after the allied forces had attacked the town, held by Syrian rebels, with mortars, rockets and barrel bombs.
“The Syrian army and the resistance’s mujahideen have etered the city of Zabadani from the western side and taken over al-Jamiyat area west of the town,” Al-Manar’s report said.
The station had only started covering the events Saturday, although security sources and eye witnesses had revealed that the offensive was launched Thursday.
A source close to Hezbollah had told The Daily Star that two party fighters were killed in the clashes with rebels as they advanced on the town, situated just 8 kilometers from Lebanon's eastern border.
Al-Manar had reported Saturday that the allies blocked the main road north of Zabadani to isolate the area from the Qalamoun towns of Serghaya and Ain Hawr.
The forces also captured a neighboring position identified as Qalaat al-Tal or Qalaat al-Koko, located west of Zabadani, according to the channel.