Syrian security forces have killed up to 100 Afghan insurgents in the northwestern city of Aleppo over the past two days, Press TV reports.

On Thursday, the Syrian forces also arrested about 100 armed men near the capital, Damascus.

Many insurgents were killed during clashes with the Syrian troops in Aleppo’s Maysaloon district on Wednesday. The Syrian army also seized large amounts of weapons and ammunition, including Israel-made bombs.

The army has launched a mop-up operation against the insurgents in Aleppo since August 8. Scores of terrorists have been killed in the operation so far.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011.

Damascus says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the insurgents are foreign nationals.

Also on Thursday, the foreign-sponsored insurgents downed a Syrian military helicopter in the town of Douma, east of Damascus, and killed the crew of the helicopter in an execution-style shooting.

ASSAD: TURKEY SEEKS OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lashed out at Turkey for supporting the insurgents fighting against his government, saying his ambitious neighbor is dreaming of “a new Ottoman empire.”

In a Thursday interview with the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram al-Arabi, whose full text will be published on Friday, Assad said Turkey was unconcerned “about the interests of its people, focusing solely on its ambitions that include ‘the new Ottoman empire’.”

Syria says Turkey has opened its borders and airports for Syria-bound terrorists, calling it a flagrant violation of the international law, AFP reported.

Assad also said that Qatar is using “the power of money and revolves in the orbit of the West by providing weapons and money to terrorists to repeat the scenario of Libya.”
He noted that Qatar has been “the quickest to fuel the violence.”

Assad said Turkey, Qatar along with Saudi Arabia – which have thrown their support behind the insurgents in his country – would not win the battle.

“They suddenly saw money in their hands after a long period of poverty and think they can buy history and play a regional role.”

He said the Syrian government will finally defeat the insurgents “using terrorism against the Syrian state”, noting that they “have no support among the people. Ultimately they will not emerge victorious.”

Source: PressTV