In the footsteps of their ancestors
The great and landslide victories recently realized by the Syrian Arab Army and the allied forces, especially in eastern Ghouta, are considered a continuation of the relentless and unabated march of struggle started by the heroes of national independence who fought the Ottoman and French occupiers and offered great sacrifices and forced them out of their homeland. The steadfastness of Syrians today was inspired by the legacy of the heroes who achieved independence. The heroic deeds and valiant acts of Yousef al-Azmeh, Sheikh Saleh al-Ali, Sultan Basha al-Atrash and others have been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the Syrian people and army in their battle against Takfiri terrorism and its sponsors. The Syrian Army and the allied forces are cracking down on terrorist organizations in all Syrian cities in defense of the homeland and the values of justice and freedom, and to ward off extremism and subversive takfiri ideas. The heroes of the Syrian Arab Army are now following in the footsteps of the legacy of their forefathers who achieved independence in clearing every inch of the homeland of the terrorism that has been exported to Syria form over 83 states with the aim of destroying the country and creating sectarian war among Syrian people to facilitate the passing of the Zionist project against Syria an the Arab region as a whole.
As the Syrian people celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the Independence Day, they are more determined to step up their struggle against takfiri terrorism and its supporters. This year’s celebrations coincided with landslide victories realized by the heroes of the Syrian Arab army against al-Nosra and ISIS terrorists in different Syrian areas, the most recent of which was the liberation of the eastern Ghouta and uprooting the terrorist organizations stationed there for six years.
Today, we remember with great pride the sacrifices of our fathers and forefathers who refused to bow or surrender. The struggle of the Syrian people started immediately after the decision of the French army to enter Syria. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the colonialist states represented by France and Britain, immediately divided the Arab homeland between them according to the notorious Sykes Picot Agreement as if it were their inheritance. France took Syria under its sphere of influence and issued the ill-famed Guru Ultimatum before sending Guru himself to occupy Syria. The Syrian fighters, led by the then Minister of Defense, Yousef al-Azmeh gathered at Maysaloun to repel the French invading forces. Knowing beforehand that he would not be able to face the armed to the teeth French army, and despite the acceptance of King Faisal of Guru Ultimatum, al-Azmeh insisted to face the French at Maysaloun to tell them that their stay in Syria would not be as easy as they thought. Al-Azmeh and his friends confronted the French occupiers with their simple weapons in comparison to the highly sophisticated weapons of the French invading army. Al-Azmeh fell martyr along with scores of his friends igniting the spark of unceasing struggle. Revolts and upheavals flared up all over the country. In the coast, Sheikh Saleh al-Ali led the revolt which was one of the first acts of resistance against the French forces, and it allied itself with other revolts in the country.
In an attempt to extinguish the revolts and upheavals that flared up everywhere in the country, the French decided to divide Syria into mini states, based on religious principles. But the Syrian people completely rejected these states, because such divisions threaten the peaceful co-existence Syria has been characterized with since time immemorial.
The unrelenting Syrian resistance culminated in 1925 when Sultan Al-Atrash announced the Great Syrian Revolution. In many battles at Kafr, Mazraa, Musaifira, Golan and Majdal, the French forces were humiliatingly defeated. The Revolution was generalized in almost all Syria, and the battles continued until 1927 when the French were forced to recognize Syria’s independence and start political negotiations with Syrian nationalists. The talks resulted in signing the 1936 Treaty in which France recognized Syria’s independence. France, however, didn’t honor it and tried to impose its domination on the country through various methods. For this reason, armed resistance continued relentlessly until April 1946.
History repeats itself. The US, France and Britain are trying to revive its colonialist dreams through supporting takfiri terrorists operating in Syria by all possible means. But the Syrian people and army have foiled the conspiracy. Inspiring the valiant deeds of the heroes of independence, the Syrian people and army will continue its struggle until every inch of the Syrian lands is liberated and cleared of all terrorists.
Syrian people, armed with their high awareness and national unity, won’t allow conspirators to undermine Syria and achieve their sinister attempts.
The huge gatherings that celebrated the National Independence Day and the victories realized by the Syrian Arab army yesterday send a strident message to the whole world that the Syrian people are supportive of the Syrian army until the last Takfiri terrorist is eliminated. Syrian people and army are confident in completing what the ancestors achieved and fortifying independence after eliminating the last terrorist on the homeland
K.Q.