You're reading: Reuters: Russia says 70 Syrian rebels killed in fighting in country’s south

Reuters: Russia says 70 Syrian rebels killed in fighting in country’s south

Published June 25, 2018. Updated June 25 at 11:20 am

Smoke rises above opposition held areas of Daraa during an airstrike by Syrian regime forces, on June 25, 2018. Russian-backed regime forces have for weeks been preparing an offensive to retake Syria's south, a strategic zone that borders both Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Photo by AFP

The Syrian army, supported by the Russian Air Force, has repelled a rebel attack in the southern “de-escalation zone,” killing around 70 rebels, Russian news agencies cited the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on June 25.

As Russia-backed government forces prepare to take Syria’s south, the US has warned rebels they should not expect military support.