Syria army advancing in militant-held parts of Aleppo

The Syrian army forces are pushing terrorists back in militant-controlled areas of Aleppo as part of a military operation aimed at fully liberating the embattled northwestern city from the grip of extremists, Press TV reports.

According to the report, the army has managed to inflict heavy blows on Takfiri Daesh terrorists in Aleppo over the past few days.

Recently, the Syrian troops managed to retake control of Aleppo’s Bani Zeid neighborhood in their latest gains against the terrorists operating there.

The Syrian soldiers have cleared Bani Zeid of explosives planted by terrorists, with reports saying residents are now returning to their homes in the district.

“Currently, Bani Zeid is purged of terrorists and cleared of explosives and mines, our morale is high and we are determined to advance and eliminate terrorism,” an army soldier told Press TV.

Civilians who were displaced for years due to the presence of terrorists have been allowed to return home.

“We left the quarter four years ago because of the presence of armed men. They kidnapped my son, so we ran away. Now, I’m returning back to my home thanks to the Syrian army,” a local woman told Press TV.

Abu Hassan, who was in Bani Zeid during the time it was controlled by terrorists, said the militants used to fire mortars at presidential areas.

“I saw armed men with my own eyes here near my apartment setting mortar launchers and firing at al-Rahman mosque, another government-held area. They tried to force me out to steal my apartment. They looted everything they could,”

Bani Zeid was held by terrorists for almost four years, but its recapture by the Syrian army paved the way for further gains in the eastern parts of Aleppo.

Aleppo has been divided between the government forces and militants since 2012, a year after conflict broke out in the Arab country. 

The Syrian government, backed by Russia, launched a large-scale humanitarian relief operation in Aleppo and created corridors providing civilians and the militants, who chose to surrender, the opportunity to leave the city.

So far, many families have left eastern Aleppo while a number of militants have laid down their weapons and handed themselves in to government forces. 

Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011. The Takfiri terrorists operating in the Arab country have suffered major setbacks over the past few months.

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict. The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

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