Mass shooting kills 2 and wounds 5 at Florida State University    US senator meets man mistakenly deported to El Salvador    Hamas formally rejects Israeli ceasefire offer    Russia's top court lifts terror group designation on Afghanistan's Taliban    Saudi Arabia edge South Korea on penalties to reach AFC U-17 Asian Cup final    Al Fateh stun leaders Al Ittihad 2-0 to revive Al Hilal's title hopes    Al Hilal bounce back with 3-0 win over Al Khaleej to stay in title hunt    NMC forecast: Thunderstorms to hit most regions of Saudi Arabia until Monday    TGA mandates national address for all parcel shipments from January 2026    North Riyadh Geopark and Salma Geopark designated on UNESCO's Global Geoparks List    stc group redefines connectivity at FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Tesla whistleblower wins latest legal battle in fight against Musk    Saudi Arabia's trade with Arab League countries exceeds SR87 bln    Riyadh to host First Arab European Cities Dialogue Forum    Saudization rates raised in 4 healthcare professions from Thursday    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    SFDA cites most common cases of fish food poisoning and ways to prevent them    Saudi medical team arrives in Syria to perform 95 heart surgeries and catheterizations    Supply. Supply. Supply: How Badael plans to meet record demand for DZRT The Saudi smoking cessation company aims to produce over 100 million cans in 2025    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Calling Erdogan a 'thief', Syria's Assad tours Idlib front-line near rebels
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 22 - 10 - 2019

Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday denounced Turkey's leader as a thief for attacking the northeast of his country and reiterated a pledge to retake all areas lost to Damascus in years of civil war, state media reported.
Assad made the remarks as he made a rare visit to a front-line of Syria's conflict, touring an area in war-torn northwestern Idlib province close to the last major bastion of Turkey-backed rebel forces.
Assad was seen surrounded by army commanders and soldiers in the town of Hobeit, which the army took in August as part of a Russian-led offensive to capture Idlib and its surroundings.
"Erdogan is a thief and is now stealing our land," state media quoted Assad as saying, referring to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey this month began an assault against its Syrian Kurdish militia enemies in Syria's northeast with the help of rebel forces who control swathes of territory north of Idlib.
With the war now in its eighth year, capturing the Idlib area would be an important victory for Assad, who has steadily recovered control of rebellious areas with Russian and Iranian support.
"We said and continue to say that the Idlib battle is the core to decisively end chaos and terrorism in all of Syria," Assad was quoted as saying.
Idlib enjoyed a lull in air strikes after Damascus and its ally Moscow declared a cease-fire on Aug. 31 following five months of bombing which the United Nations says killed hundreds of people
Just before the cease-fire, the offensive, aided by Iranian backed militias, made its most significant advance by seizing the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun. The campaign also expanded state control of parts of a highway that stretches from the capital Damascus to the city of Aleppo.
Turkey and Russia had brokered a de-escalation zone deal in 2017 to curb fighting in Idlib. It does not cover militants who are the dominant force in the area.
Many of the 500,000 people uprooted by the fighting in the northwest have fled toward the Turkish border.
The violence in Idlib province and a strip of nearby Hama has marked the biggest military escalation between Assad and his insurgent enemies since last summer. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.