Syrian army deals "fatal blow" to insurgents in Aleppo

DAMASCUS, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Syrian troops dealt Wednesday a " fatal blow" to the armed insurgent groups in the district of Salahuddien in northern Aleppo province, the state TV said.

The TV said the army is now combing the sprawling Salahuddien district after killing most of the armed rebels there, adding that many of the armed men have surrendered themselves to the authorities.

The Syrian army unleashed Wednesday a counter-strike to regain control of the district, the first that fell in the hands of the armed rebels two weeks ago.

Local media said the army has taken control of the troublesome district.

Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said clashes are still violently engulfing the Salahuddien neighborhood, contending that the regime forces are suffering heavy losses during the clashes and the rebels are fighting intensely in order to regain control over the neighborhood.

The activists' account couldn't be checked independently, as sources on the ground affirmed that the rebels are retreating and fleeing the wide-scale counter-strike.

The Aleppo clashes has started last month in what appeared to be the final deadly match between the government troops and armed rebels aiming to gain a foothold in the northern area at the southern frontier of Turkey. Enditem