DAMASCUS - The Syrian army halted its operation in Central Syria to allow residents to evacuate before launching an onslaught against the armed rebels, a pro-government paper said Monday.

The army halted its operations in al-Qussair city after tightening the siege against the armed rebels inside, the paper said, adding that over the past few days, the Syrian air force dropped leaflets in the area to urge people to evacuate. ?

The city has been under the rebels' control since last year and the army has decided to take it back so as to cut the main supplies for the rebels coming from neighboring Lebanon, which is only a few kilometers away.

In the capital Damascus, meanwhile, the al-Watan said the Syrian troops continued its operations in the eastern suburbs where the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front has united with other rebel groups to fight the army.

The Syrian army has notably made advancements during the past month, unleashing a strong firepower to end the rampant rebellion in several hotspots across the country.