Syria says the US is "dismayed" to see the return of normal life to the northern Aleppo province because of the "humiliating defeats" suffered by Washington-sponsored terrorists at the hands of pro-Damascus forces. RNA - In a statement carried by the official SANA news agency on Saturday, a source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the US is "frustrated" with the failure of its project in the Arab country which involved spreading chaos and terrorism.
"It isn’t surprising that the US administration is expressing dismay over the return of normal life in Aleppo and the opening of roads and resuming flights at Aleppo International Airports, as these achievements came following the humiliating defeats of their terrorist pawns at the hands of the Syrian Arab Army which secured Aleppo city completely," he added.
Over the past few days, Syrian army troops have assumed control over most of Aleppo, liberating about 30 villages in just a single day.
They have further managed to completely secure Aleppo city from militant shelling.
For first time since 2012, Syrian troops recaptured the strategic M5 highway that connects the capital, Damascus, to the major cities of Hama, Homs and Aleppo.
A Syrian passenger jet also landed in Aleppo airport from Damascus as domestic flights resumed between the country's two largest cities.
In an televised address on Monday, President Bashar al-Assad congratulated the Syrian nation and armed forces over major territorial gains in Aleppo, saying the city will "return stronger than ever."
The fight to liberate all of Aleppo along with neighboring terrorist-controlled Idlib province will continue, he noted, stressing that the Syrian army will not give up until it achieves total victory "sooner or later."
US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus reacted angrily to what he called "shameless" announcements on advances by Syrian forces against Takfiri elements, claiming, "This is no dream of the Syrian people."
As his barrel bombs fall day and night on the people of #Idlib, Assad shamelessly announces the resumption of blood flights from Damascus into Aleppo Atrocity Airport. This is no dream of the Syrian people; they are living through a nightmare of death and destruction.
— Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) February 20, 2020
The Syrian Foreign Ministry source said recent US statements show that the administration of President Donald Trump is "unbalanced and lacks the most basic forms of communication etiquette."
"The dismay of the US over the failure of its project in Syria is motivation for Syrians to continue confronting terrorists and their supporters until every inch of Syrian soil is free of terrorism and illegitimate foreign presence," he said.
The US administration’s "audacity" and "hypocrisy" is characterized by its policies of "attacking others, interfering in their affairs, and employing terrorists to serve its agendas at the expense of people’s lives and suffering, all while claiming to champion human rights," the source added.
Turkey says lost soldier
On Saturday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said one of its soldiers, who was a tank mechanic, was killed in Idlib in a bomb attack by Syrian forces..
Turkish forces , it claimed, retaliated and destroyed 21 targets belonging to the Syrian government.
It was reported to be Turkey’s 16th military death in Idlib in the past month.
Latest Syrian gains in Idlib have coincided with a massive deployment of troops and military equipment by Turkey which is evidently upset by changing conditions on the ground.
Ankara has threatened to use military power to drive back the Syrian forces unless they withdraw by the end of February.