“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 Daesh 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 Daesh terrorists had dug in the area to smuggle munitions and launch terrorist attacks.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The United Nations' Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

Back in 2014, the UN said it would no more update its death toll for Syria because it could not verify the figures that it received from various sources; Press TV reported.

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