Assad Adviser: Iran-Russia-Hezbollah Support for Syria Invaluable
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hailed the support provided by Iran, Russia and Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement for the war-hit country as invaluable.
In a speech in the western city of Hama on Sunday, Bouthaina Shaaban expressed her gratitude to Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah for supporting the Syrian government and army in the fight against terrorism.
She further pointed to “double vetoes” of Russia and China against Western countries' conspiracies against Syria in the UN Security Council, stating that such acts of support are invaluable.
Shaaban also praised the Syrian military’s recent advances against terrorists in suburbs of Hama and Khan Shaykhun and said if it were not for the resistance of the people in Hama, the victories would not have been achieved.
Syrian army troops seized a major territory in the northwest where they had encircled militants on Friday, reclaiming several towns and areas.
The pocket that came under the control of the military on Friday includes a few towns and their environs, which militants had held since the early years of the foreign-backed war.
The army imposed “a choking siege” on insurgents in the Hama countryside on Friday morning, state-run Ikhbariya said.
The capture of six towns and nearby hills expanded state control of a highway running through them, which stretches from the capital Damascus to Aleppo city, it added.
“The north Hama countryside is now fully safe”, the channel’s correspondent said in a live broadcast from the town of Kfar Zita. He said soldiers were searching for landmines.
The Syrian forces took full control of Khan Shaykhun on Wednesday.
The significant advances came after days of heavy fighting against militant groups in the Idlib region such as the Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group who has been controlling the region since January, according to reports.
On August 5, the Syrian army declared in a statement the start of an offensive against foreign-sponsored militants in Idlib after those positioned in the de-escalation zone failed to honor a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey and continued to target civilian neighborhoods.
