28 Syrian soldiers killed in rebel ambush near Damascus

DAMASCUS, July 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 28 Syrian government soldiers were killed in an ambush near the capital Damascus on Thursday, a monitor group reported.

The rebels set up the ambush in the eastern Ghouta countryside while Syrian forces were attempting to attack rebel positions in the Rihan town south of Douma city, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Observatory said the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam, or Islam Army, carried out the ambush, which also left many officers and soldiers wounded.

The Syrian army has been fighting to make progress in eastern Ghouta, taking advantage of the infighting between the Saudi-backed Islam Army and the Qatari-backed Failaq Rahman.