Syrian Government Forces Retake Christian Town From Al Qaeda-Linked Fighters

Sadad, north of Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syrian government forces retook a Christian town north of Damascus on Monday, expelling al-Qaida-linked rebels after a week of heavy fighting, state media and opposition activists said.

The recapture of Sadad coincided with the first visit to Syria by the U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in almost a year. The trip is part of Brahimi's efforts to convene a long-delayed peace conference on Syria next month, although fundamental disagreements over the agenda and participants remain, making it unclear whether the gathering will indeed take place.