The Assad regime celebrated on Tuesday the breaking of the blockade on Kweiris Airport after more than two years of seige.
President Bashar al-Assad congratulated by phone the commander of Kweiris Airport, Major General Munzer Zammam, and Colonel Suhail al-Hassan, commander of the force that broke the blockade on the airport.
“You have fought, withstood and you were a good example for heroism, courage and a brilliant image in the history of the Army’s heroism,” Assad was quoted as telling the commander by Syrian state media.
“Your steadfastness, for years, was good evidence [of] your confidence in the Syrian Arab Army and its heroic soldiers and your comrades, so you were confident in the victory and confident that the siege will end sooner or later,” the president added.
Later, in a telephone interview with Syrian TV, Gen. Zammam said President Assad’s phone call raised the morale of the army personnel and boosted their determination in the face of the terrorists.
Zammam stressed the soldiers’ spirits are soaring high, adding that those who lived through the siege for more than three years have emerged even stronger than before.
Assad’s key allies, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, also participated in the celebration. Nasrallah said that breaking the blockade on Kweiris Military Airport in Aleppo countryside while inflicting heavy losses on terrorists has sent a clear message to all, showing the resilience, strength, determination, and vigor of the soldiers and officers of the Syrian army.
In a speech to mark the occasion, Nasrallah said that this major victory has a great significance, particularly in relations to those who doubted the effectiveness and capability of the Syrian army.
But opposition groups said the victory did not come without a heavy price, as opposition news websites reported at least eight Hezbollah fighters were killed in battles arounf Kweiris airbase.
Syrian army factions at Kweiris had faced a relentless sieged by the so-called Islamic State since spring 2014.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Syrian Observer.
