Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that the remaining rebel-held areas in Syria will return under the government control, adding that the demilitarized zone deal in Idlib province is temporary.
According to the state news agency SANA, Assad said during a central committee meeting of the ruling al-Baath party that the recently reached demilitarized zone deal in Idlib is a temporary measure through which the Syrian government has made gains, mainly stemming the bloodshed.
On Sept. 30, Turkey and Russia agreed to set up a demilitarized zone in northwestern Syria by Oct. 15 between the Syrian forces and the rebel groups.
The demilitarized zone is planned to be established in areas between Aleppo, the northeastern countryside of Latakia province and Idlib.
The rebels will have to withdraw heavy weapons from the planned area with the Turkish and Russian forces patrolling the demilitarized zone.
Idlib is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.
The Syrian army was planning to launch a wide-scale offensive to retake Idlib as well as rebel-held pockets in the northern countryside of Hama, the northeastern countryside of Latakia and the western countryside of Aleppo.
The Turkish-backed rebels have started withdrawing some heavy weapons from the planned demilitarized zone, while the al-Qaida linked groups have expressed rejection to the deal.
