Alwaght- Mas Media are circulating lies about Aleppo battle, Syrian success the battle is not just about winning over some terrorist groups but about contribution of the Syrian government to the global battle against global terrorism, and reports on shift of Turkey�s policy towards Syria are not genuine, Ali Kassem, the editor-in-chief of Al-Thawra newspaper of Syria sais Alwaght in an exclusive interview.

Alwaght: Syria is currently under heavy propaganda campaign by the anti-Syrian media which claim that the militants in Aleppo have managed to break the Aleppo encirclement imposed by the Syrian armed forces on the terrorists especially at the Aleppo Cement Factory area as well as the Al-Kulliyat District in southern countryside of the city. What is happening on the ground in Syria?

Kassem: First of all it must be noted that the government didn't impose a blockade on Aleppo. It encircled the militants and terrorists who tried to blockade Aleppo�s neighborhoods. So what is reported by media and let me call it the "wish media" is nothing but some wishes and dreams and are not happening in reality. All of the areas that they said were opened as safe corridors towards eastern Aleppo districts are now at least under heavy fire of the Arab Syrian Army and its allies. This was proven by live voice and images by the friend media and the Syrian media. Just today the Aleppo Cement Factory and the Al-Kulliyat District that were claimed to have been seized by the militants are under Syrian forces' control. This is a best reason that what was circulated by the adversary media was baseless.

The second point is about Apartment Project 1070 of Aleppo. It was fully cleansed of the terrorists by the Syrian army and I think that only several meters are still uncleared. They would be cleansed in the upcoming hours. As I told you, they are talking about their wishes and dreams, rather than the reality.

Alwaght:�What are the expected political and security outcomes should the Syrian government win Aleppo back and liberate it from the terrorists?

Kassem: Certainly Aleppo is a very significant hotspot in all of the conflicts and Syria's confrontation of the international terrorism which is supported by a variety of countries. Everybody began to know that there are terrorists in Syria from over 80 nationalities, so, the Syrian success is not just about winning over some terrorist groups but about contribution of the Syrian government to the global battle against global terrorism. So. I think the important point is that when full Aleppo liberation is announced this means another project is foiled, a project which is designed for the whole of the region. This is what intimidates the designers of the project which has three angles: the first angle contains the US, Britain, and France, the second angle includes the Persian Gulf Arab sheikhdoms and the countries covering themselves under them, and the third angle is the Israeli regime, the biggest beneficiary from what is happening in the region. I think that the expected defeat of the terrorists is severely import not only in Syria but also internationally. I think that it is about the global terrorism and the efforts to root it out wherever it existed. The heart of the anti-terror battle are the Syrian government, Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia as an ally (of Damascus) that is largely taking part in the anti-terror fight.

Alwaght: Following the failed coup bid in Turkey it appears that a clear change has happened in Turkey's policy. Is this change and show of flexibility by Turkey adopted on the ground in Syria, particularly after the Turkish defense minister said that Ankara and Moscow made a decision about the Syrian crisis?

Kassem: I think that this change is only in words and media and not in reality. So, what we are hearing about shift in the Turkish policy is baseless and has nothing to do with the truth. There is a reason for that. All of the terrorist groups that commit heinous crimes in Syria, including Jaish al-Fatah and others, are all backed directly by Turkey. All of the supports and weapons go to the terrorists in Syria through the Turkish borders up to this moment. If the Turkish government halts backing for the terrorists and arms delivery, then we can say the claims of shift in Turkish policy are not simply baseless words.

We need to see the situation from another perspective. The government of Erdogan is a loser today. He is looking for ways to get down to normal after he developed very lofty dreams about the region. The Russians provided him with the way back to the reality and leaving the dreams after he visited Russia and met with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Furthermore, our Iranian friends also gave him a lifeline to move out of what he is in now. They helped him back to reality. However, this government is not qualified to get help. It can't arrange what is possible to be arranged because its mistakes exceed its powers. We know well that the Turkish prime minister today is the new face through whom Erdogan seeks to fix his past mistakes. So, the government of Erdogan with its current form and method is not qualified to be part of the real international alliance for fighting terrorism.

By Al Waght