(MENAFN) Syrian President Bashar Assad has pledged to "eliminate" the terrorists who launched an assault in northern Syria, along with their sponsors. During a phone conversation with Badra Gunba, the acting president of Abkhazia, Assad affirmed his commitment to defending Syria’s stability and territorial integrity. He emphasized that his forces would confront terrorism using “the language of force,” targeting both the militants and their supporters, with assistance from Syria's allies.

The offensive, led by the Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) group, previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra, and allied militias, began last Wednesday, focusing on Aleppo and Idlib provinces. The attackers took control of several towns before entering Aleppo, which had been under Syrian control since 2016. The Syrian military, with support from Russian airstrikes, counterattacked, regaining territory, including towns in Hama province, and preventing further advances on the city of Hama.

Nearly 1,000 militants have reportedly been killed in the fighting. Syria’s military officials stated that HTS fighters were unable to hold positions due to persistent airstrikes. Additionally, Syrian officials have long accused Western powers and their allies of supporting terrorist groups in the region, including reports that Ukrainian-trained terrorists were involved in last week’s attack.

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