Syria’s president says he can “defeat terrorists” – DW – 12/01/2024

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed this Saturday (11/30/2024) that his country is capable of “defeating the terrorists”, amid a lightning attack launched in the northwest by the coalition dominated by Islamists.

“Syria continues to defend its stability and territorial integrity against all terrorists and their supporters and, with the help of its allies and friends, regardless of the intensity of their attacks, will defeat and eliminate them,” al-Assad said in a telephone call. Is capable of doing.” A conversation with Mohammed bin Zayed, Head of State of the Emirates.

According to a statement from the Syrian Presidency, bin Zayed told al-Assad that the UAE “supports the Syrian state in the fight against terrorism”, while stressing the importance of maintaining Syria’s “sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability”. to be confirmed. ,

islamic offensive

The Syrian president made the comments at a time when the Islamic coalition Levant Liberation Agency and other Turkey-backed factions have taken full control of the northwestern province of Idlib, the city of Aleppo and northern parts of the Hama demarcation, more in the center-north.

The offensive, which began on 27 November, has met with barely any resistance from al-Assad’s troops, who have acknowledged that they “temporarily” withdrew from Aleppo with the aim of regrouping and launching a counter-offensive. Are.

In addition, the Syrian army is supported by Russian aviation, which over the past four days has carried out dozens of bombings against rebel positions in Aleppo, Idlib and, this Saturday, also in Hama, where Islamists have entered after the capture of al-Assad since 2020. A strategic city in the hands of.

MG (AFP, EFE)