DAMASCUS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army announced on Friday that its forces successfully repelled a large-scale offensive by armed groups from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the rural regions of Aleppo and Idlib provinces in northern Syria.
In a statement, the army said the HTS -- an al-Qaida-linked extremist organization -- has launched attacks using various heavy and medium weapons, including drones provided by its foreign allies.
"Our armed forces have inflicted heavy losses to the attacking groups, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries among the terrorists," the statement said, adding, "We have destroyed dozens of vehicles and armored units and have downed 17 drones."
The army is reinforcing its positions on various frontlines to prevent further breaches, the statement noted.
It also accused the HTS of disseminating misleading information and videos aimed at alarming the civilian population in Aleppo, urging citizens to rely solely on official national media for accurate information.
Four civilians were killed and several university students were injured on Friday when the armed militant groups fired shells at a dormitory complex in Aleppo city, state news agency SANA reported.
The shelling marks one of the deadliest attacks in recent months on the area, as ultra-radical groups launched a large-scale offensive on military sites in Aleppo's western countryside starting from Wednesday.
The HTS, formerly the Nusra Front, is considered a terrorist organization by Syria, Russia, and several other countries. ■
