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In Pictures: Syrians celebrate recent army gains in Aleppo

Sunday, 16 February 2020 10:57 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 16 February 2020 11:19 PM ]

Image shows residents of the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo gathering to celebrate recent advances by the Syrian Arab Army in the city's surrounding suburbs on February 16, 2020. (Photo by SANA)

Residents of the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo have gathered in the streets to celebrate recent advances by the Syrian Arab Army in the city's surrounding suburbs.

The city's residents could be seen cheering and chanting slogans supporting the Syrian army and the President Bashar al-Assad, Syria's official news agency SANA reported on Sunday.

Images shared on social media also showed people singing and handing out sweets.

Soldiers and citizens 💃 #Aleppo #Syria pic.twitter.com/FjzYZbgQui
— G (@SyrianLionesss) February 16, 2020

The celebrations come hours after Syrian troops managed to liberate more than a two dozen towns and other localities bordering the western perimeter of the city.

Residents of Aleppo are still cheering, chanting

Allah souria, bashar w bas 🇸🇾✌️ pic.twitter.com/bJ0Yy4cwYQ
— Andrew 🇸🇾 (@AndrewBritani) February 16, 2020

The gains effectively secured the city "from the recurring attacks of terrorists" on residential neighborhoods of Aleppo, according to SANA.

The developments come as the Syrian army has been conducting a major offensive focusing on the country's northwestern Idlib province, the last major bastion of a foreign-backed terrorist insurgency which has grappled the country since 2011.

The offensive was launched last August after terrorists failed to honor the Sochi de-escalation zone agreement brokered between Russian and Turkey in September 2018.

Large swathes of the province have been liberated since.

Turkey urges ceasefire

Speaking to reporters during the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu urged for a halt in the Syrian government's offensive against terrorists in Idlib.

"We told [Russia on Saturday]...that the aggression in Idlib must stop and that a lasting ceasefire has to be achieved now," Cavusoglu said.

The foreign minister added that Turkish and Russian officials will meet to discuss the matter in Moscow on Monday.

Ankara - which has also been a major backer for terrorists in Syria - has warned that it may resort to military action if Syria does not withdraw its troops battling terrorist forces in Idlib until the end of February.

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