People in southern Syria celebrate liberation of Aleppo, Idlib

By Mehmet Burak Karacaoglu, Esref Musa, Omer Koparan, Ahmet Karaahmet and Tugba Altun

AZEZ, Syria (AA) - A demonstration was held in the predominantly Druze ethnicity province of al-Suwayda in southern Syria to celebrate the liberation of Aleppo and Idlib from the Assad regime forces.​​​​​​​

The demonstrators carried banners reading “The victory in Aleppo is the victory of all free Syrians. I celebrate the joy of Syrians”, "Aleppo is in the hearts of Syrians", "Our blood is not cheap and cannot be sacrificed to traitors", "A drop of blood of the dead is more valuable than the chair and the president", "Free Syria, victory is near", "Greetings from al-Suwayda to Aleppo", "Hold your head high, you are a free Syrian" and "The sun of freedom has risen."

The fighting erupted on Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups in the western countryside of Aleppo province in northern Syria.

Since last week, the anti-regime armed groups have made rapid progress from the western countryside toward the city center, capturing much of it by Saturday.

The armed groups took control of the town of Khan Shaykhun later Saturday, establishing control over all of Idlib.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan​​​​​​​