DUSHANBE, November 24, 2015, Asia-Plus – Sputnik reported today that Syrian government forces, backed by the Russian air strikes, have reportedly managed to regain control over another 12 kilometers of the Aleppo-Latakia highway and are currently advancing on the town of al-Salma.

Syrian troops reportedly continue to advance on the town of al-Salma after taking back another 12 kilometers along the Aleppo-Latakia highway, according to the Iranian news agency FARS.

On Monday, the Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces (NDF) also earned control over a key height in the northeastern countryside of Latakia in fighting that left dozens of ISIL terrorists killed or wounded, according to Sputnik .

The military sources said that most of the terrorists killed in the fighting have been identified as Afghans.

The sources also said that in the past ten days, the Syrian Army, supported by Russian warplanes, has forced the militant groups to retreat from large areas of land in the coastal province of Latakia.

During a military operation carried out by government forces and backed by the Russian bombardments, the army pushed the militants back from almost 200 square kilometers of territory in Latakia province.