Syrian Rebels Kill 76 Troops in Ambush Near Damascus

At Least 100 Others Remain Unaccounted For

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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has described what they are calling as the “largest ambush” against Syrian troops in the entire civil war, reporting at least 76 Syrian soldiers killed, and another 100 remaining totally unaccounted for.

The fighting took place on the outskirts of Damascus, in Eastern Ghouta, a territory that is held by the rebel Jaish al-Islam. The rebel group was behind the ambush set up for the troops, who were believed to be preparing to storm the area.

The Observatory’s accounting of the incident suggested that 45 of the Syrian troops were killed in the actual gunbattle, and 31 others were killed by landmines set up in the area.

This is the first major incident of rebel-planted landmines killing large numbers of troops, though there have been various reports of rebels seizing landmines and intending to use them to target Syrian forces.