A Syrian official source denied on Wednesday media reports that the armed militiamen have taken control over a military airport near Syria's capital Damascus.

The source, whose remarks were carried by the state-media, totally denounced the reports, branding it as unfounded and stressed that the Akraba airport is under the Syrian army's control.

He said the government troops are currently inside and around the airport.

The Akraba airport is near the road leading to the international airport of Damascus. The armed rebels have been trying to take over this area since last Thursday when clashes raged in the towns near the airport road.

Earlier in the day, the pro-government al-Watan daily said the Syrian army had continued its manhunt of armed groups at the surrounding towns along the 50-km airport road in Damascus, leaving scores of armed men killed.

The rebels, who are now mixed with foreign jihadists and al- Qaida-linked fighters, have been trying to cut off the road to the airport in Damascus and wage intensive attacks to bring down the capital, the seat-place of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian forces, in response, unleashed great firepower to keep those elements from inching further toward the heart of the capital. Sources say hundreds of rebels have been killed over the past week in the airport battles.

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