Syria’s president vows to defeat terrorists as US calls for de-escalation

Syria’s president has said his country will “defend its stability and territorial integrity” after rebels reportedly took control of most of the country’s second-largest city Aleppo.

They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists.

On Saturday thousands of insurgents took over most of Aleppo, controlling its airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province.

They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists.

Thousands of fighters also seized towns and villages in northern Hama, a province where they had a presence before being expelled by government troops in 2016.

They first staged a two-pronged attack in Aleppo and the Idlib countryside, entering Aleppo two days later.

By Saturday evening, they had seized at least four towns in the central Hama province and claimed to have entered the provincial capital.

The insurgents staged an attempt to reclaim areas they controlled in Hama in 2017 but failed.

Syria’s armed forces said in a statement on Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it redeployed troops and equipment and was preparing a counter-attack.

The statement acknowledged that insurgents entered large parts of the city but said they have not established bases or checkpoints.

A statement from the White House said the US was “closely monitoring the situation”.

“The Assad regime’s ongoing refusal to engage in the political process outlined in UNSCR 2254, and its reliance on Russia and Iran, created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria.