After a bloody week of fighting, the death toll of Syrian rebels and Syrian Government soldiers fighting for control of the police academy outside Aleppo totaled 120 Soldiers and 80 rebels.

But, after months of battles to establish ownership of the conflict, government troops finally abandoned the complex on Sunday, leaving it to the rebels, who quickly filled the void left by the fleeing government troops.

In the face of continuous retreat as rebels advance, Syria’s President Assad remains defiant. When speaking with Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper, Assad insists that he will not step down from power and has continued to lash out for the aid sent to the opposition.

Assad also set out the his terms for negotiating with the rebels. He announced that he would meet with the rebels if they lay down their arms. He also distiguished between “political entities” and “armed terrorists.”

Durinfg his interview, Assad also berated the British government in their role in the conflict, accusing the the British for their part in supplying weapons to the rebels and doubting the assistance from that country in talks to end the conflict, saying, “We don’t expect an arsonist to be a firefighter.”

Although British Foreign Sectretary William Hague did not rule out future arms shipments, he said that Britain will soon announce a new aid package to the rebels to provide them with medical and non-lethal assistance.

It was announced on Thursday of last week by Secretary of State John Kerry to rebel leaders that Washington will provide non-lethal assistance directly to the rebel fighters as well. That package will total $60 million in assistance.