Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Wednesday the army troops are fighting "fateful" battles as the"enemies" are using inside elements to strike the stability of Syria while the UN observer mission confirmed that the armed rebels are in possession of heavy weapons, including some tanks in Aleppo.
Addressing the Syrian army on the 67th anniversary of its foundation, Assad said Syria's enemies are using the internal agents as a "bridge" to undermine Syria's stability and security and "drain our economic potentials and scientific competencies."
The president made the remarks as his rule is facing internal and external threats with Western-backed armed rebels fighting a war of attrition against the government strongholds in the capital Damascus and northern Aleppo province, Syria's economic hub.
The recent reports of the fighting in Aleppo, which started a week ago, indicate that the rebels have acquired surface-to-air missiles from Turkey, whose prime minister has recently said Syrians "will soon be freed from the regime with blood on its hands."
Furthermore, the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) confirmed that the armed rebels, for the first time, are in possession of heavy weapons including tanks in Syria's largest city, Aleppo.
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