Syria's army broke a more than year-long ISIS siege of a military air base in Aleppo, marking the first major breakthrough since Russia's air campaign began near the end of September, Syria state media and a monitoring group have reported.
"Army and the armed forces eliminated large numbers of ISIL terrorists and make contact with the forces defending Kweires Airport in Aleppo's eastern countryside," the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said on Tuesday, according to Al-Jazeera.
A group of soldiers penetrated ISIS lines west of the airport and reached government troops inside the base, firing into the air in celebration.
Experts now believe the base could be used by Russian planes as the country continues its air campaign against rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime, while aiding their efforts to re-take Syria's second city of Aleppo, according to AFP.
Following the recapture of this strategic point, about 40 ISIS vehicles were reportedly seen carrying fighters and ammunition as they headed from their stronghold in the northern province of Raqqa toward the neighboring province of Aleppo where the fighting was concentrated.
This victory comes following ISIS' 2013 victory over rival militant groups who had surrounded the base for a year, reported FOX News. Syrian government forces managed to hold out all this time knowing that if they were captured, death awaited them.
Assad's office praised the soldiers, calling them heroes who defended the base in a "legendary way."
