DAMASCUS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Syrian military source said Saturday the Syrian troops have wrested back control over two rebel-held areas in the fighting-stricken Aleppo province in northern Syria, at a time when the spiraling violence is seemingly threatening Aleppo's world heritage sites.
The unnamed source, whose remarks were carried by the state-run SANA news agency, said the Syrian troops are in full control over the al-Amirieh and Tal Zarazir districts in Aleppo.
"Our forces will proceed in eliminating the terrorist mercenaries in all areas of Aleppo," the source was quoted as saying.
The battles in the Aleppo city, Syria's largest city and commercial hub, have been raging since Thursday, when the armed rebels announced the commencement of a "decisive battle" there. Although the rebels managed to ramp up chaos in Aleppo and elsewhere, they have so far failed to make big achievements on ground.
However, the intense fighting has further started to threat the old heritage of the city.
In a video posted by activists onto YouTube, a huge fire that apparently resulted from the intense clashes in Aleppo has engulfed a medieval marketplace whose labyrinth of narrow alleys and shops was a stomping ground for tourists.
The old souks are also regarded by the UNESCO as world heritage.
The video also showed the fire devouring the wooden doors of old shops that sell goods such as foodstuff, fabrics, perfumes, spices and artisan souvenirs and making its way up to cloud the sky over the old part of the city.
Many ancient sites in other Syrian cities have also got caught in the cross fire between the government troops and armed rebels, who are showing an unwavering resolution to wobble the regime grip on power by waging the war of attrition on many fronts.
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