Damascus, Nov 19 (IANS): Syrian troops Tuesday fully recaptured the strategic town of Qara in the northern countryside of the capital Damascus.

The army recaptured Qara, which is located in the al-Qalamoun Mountains north of Damascus, after eliminating the last "terrorist pockets" there, Xinhua reported citing the state-run SANA news agency reported.

The Syrian troops have started a large-scale offensive against the rebels in the north of Damascus earlier this week to dislodge them from Qara that was vital for the rebels who were wishing to attack the capital from its northern gate.

The recent battles in Qara have resulted in the killing of dozens of rebels as the army has become ready to advance deeper into the al-Qalamoun Mountains.

The al-Qalamoun constitutes a key base for the rebels, as the area is the northern entrance of Damascus.

For the government troops, controlling the area is important to secure the Damascus-Homs international road and a number of Syrian military bases nearby.

The military operation in the northern rim of Damascus came along with a series of operations in the southern and eastern countryside of Damascus as part of the military tactic to dislodge the rebels from key areas of Damascus, Homs and the northern province of Aleppo.