Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Tuesday (May 27) that Aleppo will be the "greatest economic beacon".

"There is no greater conquest than Aleppo and there is no equivalent victory to it," Sharaa added, speaking during an event called "Aleppo, Key to Victory."

Aleppo was the first major city seized by the rebels when they launched an offensive to topple then-leader Bashar al-Assad in late November.

Assad was ousted less than two weeks later, ending a 14-year war that killed hundreds of thousands, displaced millions and left much of Syria in ruins.

Aleppo, Syria's second largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, was deeply scarred by more than a decade of war between government and rebel forces, suffering battles, a siege, Russian air strikes and barrel bomb attacks.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. SYRIAN PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, WALKING AMONG OTHERS, ARRIVING TO ALEPPO CITADEL TO ATTEND "ALEPPO, KEY TO VICTORY" EVENT AND SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE

2. SCREEN WITH SIGN READING (Arabic): "ALEPPO, KEY TO VICTORY"

3. VARIOUS OF SHARAA SEATED AMONG OTHERS, ATTENDING EVENT

4. VARIOUS OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES MEMBER ATTENDING EVENT, IN TEARS

5. PEOPLE ATTENDING EVENT

6. SHARAA WALKING TO STAGE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN PRESIDENT, AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

"We are back to you. We give you good news and say: Aleppo will be the greatest economic beacon, God willing."

8. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCE MEMBERS ATTENDING EVENT

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN PRESIDENT, AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

"How affected was I by the loss of Aleppo in the past and how determined was I to get it back, and how much did people warn me not to go there; and I said, there is no greater conquest than Aleppo and there is no equivalent victory to it."

10. PEOPLE ATTENDING EVENT

11. SHARAA GESTURING ON STAGE AFTER HIS SPEECH

12. POLICE CAR AND PEOPLE OUTSIDE ALEPPO CITADEL'S ENTRANCE

13. EXTERIOR OF ALEPPO CITADEL WITH A FIST LIGHT SIGN AND WRITING READING (Arabic): "ALEPPO, KEY TO VICTORY"

14. PEOPLE LEAVING