Assad: Army Syria’s Most Capable Anti-terror Force

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad praised the Syrian army as the most efficient force in the fight against terrorism inside the country.

“You (army forces) are strong-minded and vigorous in fulfilling your national duties. The achievements that you have made in various areas attest to the fact that the Syrian army is the most capable force in confronting and eliminating terrorism,” Assad said on the 71st anniversary of the establishment of the Syrian Arab Army on Sunday.

He added,

“The army is at a critical juncture of Syria’s history. Therefore, all need to exercise vigilance and double their efforts in order to achieve victory and embrace the bright future, which will meet the aspiration of the Syrian nation.”

Assad also expressed sympathy with the families of army soldiers who have been killed during anti-terror operations, and wished for the quick recovery of those injured.

Also on Sunday, Syrian army forces targeted a position of the Takfiri ISIL terrorist group southeast of the city of Dayr al-Zawr, located 450 kilometers (280 miles) northeast of the capital, Damascus, killing and injuring scores of militants.

Syrian soldiers also destroyed a tunnel that ISIL terrorists had dug in the area to smuggle munitions and launch terrorist attacks.


Source: Websites	01-08-2016 – 17:45 Last updated 01-08-2016 – 17:45

5 Killed as Russian Military Chopper Shot down in Syria

All five people on board a Russian military helicopter that was shot down over Syria on Monday are believed to have died, the Kremlin said.

The Russian defense ministry said the Russian military helicopter was shot down over the Syrian province of Idlib.

“A Russian Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down from the ground in Idlib province after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo,” the ministry said in a statement. Russian chopper downed in Syria's Idlib

“There were three crew members and two officers from the Russian reconciliation centre in Syria on board,” it said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed condolences over the deaths of the five soldiers.

“As far as we know from the information we’ve had from the defense ministry, those in the helicopter died, they died heroically, because they were trying to move the aircraft away to minimize victims on the ground,” he told journalists.

Photos shared widely on social networks by Syrian opposition on Monday purported to depict the smoking craft in the desert and personal belongings of those inside, including Russian drivers’ licenses, passports and insurance cards, as well as Orthodox Christian icons.

The authenticity of the pictures could not be independently confirmed.

The Monday downing brought the toll for Russian soldiers killed in the Syrian conflict to 18.