Syria army forms new volunteer unit to join anti-terror fight

The Syrian military says it has set up a new commando force, comprising volunteer fighters, to join the army soldiers and their allies in their campaign to rid the Arab country of terrorist groups.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the General Command of the Armed Forces announced the formation of a “Fifth Attack Troop Corps of volunteers” tasked with “eliminating terrorism” alongside other Syrian forces fighting to “return security and stability to the entire territory.”

The unit was established "in response to the rapid development of events, to support the successes of armed forces and to meet people's wishes to put an end to terrorist acts in the Syrian Arab Republic,” the statement added.

The Syrian army urged citizens interested in "achieving the final victory against terrorism" to sign up for the volunteer unit at recruitment centers across the country.

It further noted that those eligible to volunteer must be aged over 18 and not already eligible for military service or deserters.  

State employees under one-year renewable contracts and the citizens who have finished their military service would also be accepted at the newly formed corps, the army pointed out.

Last year, the Syrian army announced the formation of its Fourth Corps, also an anti-terrorism force, soon after Russia began its aerial campaign against Daesh and other terror outfits in the Middle Eastern country at the Damascus government’s request.

'Terrorists in possession of food while people starving'

Separately on Tuesday, the Syrian army said in a statement that foreign-backed terrorists in the militant-held eastern Aleppo own food stores while people were starving.

"The General Command of the Armed Forces calls upon militants in the neighborhoods of east Aleppo to open ration warehouses and distribute food to those that need it," the statement read.

On Friday, the United Nations warned of the “horrendous” situation in eastern Aleppo as aid supplies had run out there.

In another statement, the Syrian military called on militants to clear mines from crossings into government-held western Aleppo which are used as humanitarian corridors.

The Syrian army has set up a number of humanitarian corridors for people to quit Aleppo. However, terrorists are said to be preventing civilians from leaving the city in a bid to use them as human shields.

Since March 2011, Syria has been hit by deadly foreign-sponsored militancy, with the situation remaining tense in Aleppo as the city is divided between government forces in the west and foreign-backed terrorists in the east.

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