Damascus: President Bashar Al Assad praised troops for "foiling the enemies" of Syria, state news agency Sana said on Monday, a day after security forces reportedly killed nearly 140 in a crackdown on protests.
In a speech marking the 66th anniversary of the Syrian army's formation, Sana cited the embattled leader as saying that the military "proved its loyalty to its people, country and creed.
"Its efforts and sacrifices will be admired," he was cited as saying, adding that "these sacrifices succeeded in foiling the enemies of the country and ending sedition, preserving Syria."
Al Assad earlier said his country is capable of foiling any conspiracy to undermine its national unity, Sana reported.
“Syria is capable of foiling the new chapter in the conspiracy through the awareness of its people and national unity,” Al Assad said in a speech published in the People’s Army Magazine to mark the 66th anniversary of the Syrian Arab Army.
Sana quoted Al Assad as saying that “conspiracies make us stronger, and pressure causes it to adhere more to our standards and rights that cannot be liquidated or marginalized.”
The government has blamed the five-month uprising in Syria on “armed gangs” working for some Arab and Western countries.
“The army was a model of commitment to the nation’s causes and a defender of its rights, proving to be an impregnable fortress foiling the dreams and suspect plans of enemies,” the Syrian president said.
Al Assad said there was a plot to fragment the nation and the region, but “the people who understood the conspiracy forgot that Syria has unique characteristics that make it immune to conspiracies.”
“This vicious attack won’t fare any better than the previous ones, all of Syria’s honest people are confident that we will emerge from the crisis more powerful, more present and more effective regionally and internationally,” he said.
Al Assad reiterated his stance that peace in the region “doesn’t mean relinquishing a speck of soil or a drop of water,” affirming that the Golan Heights would always belong to Syria. The disputed territory was captured by Israel in the 1967 war.
“We will remain free in our national decision-making and sovereign in our international relations and our resistant course to achieve just and comprehensive peace according to international legitimacy resolutions that stipulate for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab lands up to the June 4th, 1967 line,” he said.
