(VOVworld) -  Syrian troops on Thursday thwarted an infiltration attempt by the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front in the al-Qalamoun region north of the capital Damascus, killing 57 of them.

The headquarter of Al-Nusra, 20 kilometers from the northern city Aleppo, was destroyed after an attack (Photo: AFP)

The Al-Nusra fighters were attempting to infiltrate an area between the towns of Jubbeh and Esal al-Wared in the rugged al- Qalamoun region. The Syrian troops have dealt a strong blow to the assailants "who have been trying to re-establish a foothold in al-Qalamoun."

Earlier this year, Syrian forces backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants succeeded in dislodging radical rebel groups from all of the towns and villages of the sprawling al-Qalamoun region, located in northeastern Damascus on the borders with Lebanon.