DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that the Syrian army is the most capable of confronting terrorism, according to state news agency SANA.
In a statement on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of establishing the Syrian army, the president said Syrian army "will always remain the pillar of security and stability in Syria and the region."
"Today we stand at the threshold to a pivotal stage in the homeland's history, which requires that we all be more vigilant and prepared and that we double efforts and work with determination until victory is achieved," he said.
The army marks its 71st anniversary on the first of August, while its troops have been stretched out in the battles across the Syrian territory for over five years.
The Syrian army engaged in intense battles on Monday, as the rebels unleashed a wide-scale offensive in the northern province of Aleppo.

Several jihadi groups, including the Jaish al-Fateh, or the Conquer Army, and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was previously known as the Nusra Front before breaking ties with al-Qaida and changing its name, unleashed a broad offensive in the southern countryside of Aleppo on several fronts to break a siege imposed recently by the Syrian army. (Xinhua)