Damascus, Dec 10 (IANS)

The Syrian troops Monday fully recaptured a strategic town north of the capital Damascus, media reported Monday.

Al-Nabek, a town in the rugged al-Qalamoun region north of Damascus, was the latest town in that strategic mountainous region reseized by the Syrian army after the troops dislodged rebels from the adjacent towns of Qara and Deir Attieh, Xinhua reported citing state-run SANA news agency.

The army is hunting down remnants of the rebels in the surrounding orchards of Al-Nabek, which is located on the international road that links the capital Damascus with central province Homs and other northern and coastal Syrian cities, according to SANA.

The clashes in the town have prompted the Syrian troops to close the Damascus-Homs road, resulting in a fuel crisis.

The report spelled no further details whether the road was reopened, but other media reports said the army is still securing the road in order to reopen it soon.