Syria army inches closer to Aleppo, foreign terrorists killed

Syria army inches closer to Aleppo, foreign terrorists killed
Wed Feb 26, 2014 09:31:42

Syrian government troops have made advances against militant positions near the northern city of Aleppo.

In Aleppo, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that government troops, backed by National Defense paramilitary forces, advanced against militant groups near Aleppo’s airport, and close to the Army’s 80th Division headquarters.

At least 17 terrorists, including some non-Syrians, were killed in the fighting, the Observatory said.

It said that army troops were now one kilometer away from the neighborhood of Tariq al-Bab, which has been targeted repeatedly by airstrikes and barrel bombs in recent weeks.

The government troops, backed by paramilitary forces, seized a factory in the Sheikh Said area of Aleppo.
The development comes a day after an unnamed Saudi source, who is close to decision-makers in the country, said that Saudi Arabia is in talks with Pakistan to provide the foreign-backed militants in Syria with anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets.

The source further said that Jordan is set to provide facilities to store the arms before they are delivered to the militants within Syria.

Ahmad Jarba, the head of the so-called Syrian National Coalition (SNC), said last week during a visit to northern Syria that "powerful arms will be arriving soon."

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Over 130,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the unrest.

BA/BA

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