Syrian President Bashar al-Assad aimed to bolster support from his allies yesterday, following a surprising rebel offensive that resulted in government forces losing control of Aleppo for the first time since the onset of the civil war in the country.
According to military sources, Russian and Syrian jets launched strikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib in northern Syria, as Mr. Assad vowed to defeat the insurgents who had moved into Aleppo.
The army also reported that it regained several towns that had been overtaken by rebels in recent days.
An Islamist-dominated rebel alliance attacked Iranian- and Russian-backed government forces on Wednesday, coinciding with a fragile ceasefire in neighboring Lebanon between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which had seen two months of intense conflict.
For the first time since the civil war began over a decade ago, the country’s second-largest city “is no longer under the control of Syrian regime forces,” he stated.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Damascus to meet with Mr. Assad, stating before his departure that Tehran would “strongly support the Syrian government and army,” as reported by Iranian state media.
After their discussions, Mr. Assad highlighted “the significance of allies’ and friends’ support in countering foreign-backed terrorist attacks.”
Armed anti-regime groups are employing heavy weaponry against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Mr. Araghchi arrived late yesterday in Ankara, where he is anticipated to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan before discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to the Observatory, Syrian and Russian aircraft have conducted lethal strikes in support of government forces.
They reported that strikes resulted in the deaths of at least 12 individuals in Aleppo and nine civilians in the rebel stronghold of Idlib.
Russia’s military confirmed its assistance to Syrian government forces in “repelling terrorist aggression in the provinces of Idlib, Hama, and Aleppo.”
The Russian and Syrian warplanes targeted “a gathering of terrorist organization commanders and large groups of their members” in Aleppo province, resulting in “dozens” of casualties, as conveyed by a military statement released by Syrian state news agency SANA.
The statement also noted that warplanes destroyed a considerable vehicle convoy carrying “terrorist” munitions and equipment in Idlib.
Resident Umm Mohamed noted that strikes in her area took the life of her daughter-in-law, who left behind five children, including a young girl with injuries.
“Thank God their injuries were minor,” she expressed.
‘Foreign interference’ is not the root of Syria’s flareup – Turkey
Turkey, which supports rebel factions within Syria, dismissed any notion of “foreign interference” being responsible for the offensive initiated by jihadists in the northern region.
“At this time, attributing the events in Syria to foreign interference would be erroneous,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated.
In 2016, the Syrian army, backed by Russian airpower, reclaimed rebel-held areas of Aleppo, a city recognized for its iconic citadel.
Damascus has also depended on Hezbollah fighters to recover regions of Syria lost to rebels early in the conflict, which began in 2011 when the government suppressed protests.
However, Hezbollah has sustained significant losses while engaging in its conflict with Israel.
Prior to this offensive, HTS, previously associated with Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, already controlled considerable portions of the Idlib region, the last major rebel stronghold in the northwest.
HTS also retained territory in neighboring Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces.
According to the Observatory, the most recent fighting has resulted in over 412 deaths, primarily among combatants but also including at least 61 civilians.
The organization indicated that the rebel advances experienced minimal resistance.
The army reinforced its positions around Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city located about 230km south of Aleppo, and dispatched reinforcements to the northern surrounding province.
Rebels captured dozens of towns across the northern region, including Khan Sheikhun and Maaret al-Numan, situated approximately halfway between Aleppo and Hama, according to the Observatory.
The airstrikes affecting parts of Aleppo marked the first such actions since 2016.
Rebels have secured control over numerous towns in the north.
‘Weak’ government
Aaron Stein, president of the US-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, commented that “Russia’s presence has diminished noticeably, and immediate airstrikes have limited effectiveness.”
He described the rebel advance as “a reminder of the regime’s weakness.”
Aron Lund of the Century International think tank remarked: “It appears that Aleppo is beyond the regime’s grasp, and unless they can mount a counteroffensive soon, orunless Russia and Iran provide significantly more support, I doubt the government will regain control.”
“A government stripped of Aleppo cannot be considered a functional government of Syria,” he added.
Yesterday, the US and its allies France, Germany, and Britain called for “de-escalation” in Syria while advocating for the protection of civilians and infrastructure.
“The current escalation highlights the urgent necessity for a Syrian-led political resolution to the conflict, in alignment with UNSCR 2254,” stated a document issued by the US State Department, referencing the 2015 UN resolution endorsing a peace process in Syria.
The US continues to maintain hundreds of troops in northeastern Syria as part of an anti-jihadist coalition.
UN envoy Geir Pedersen remarked that “the latest developments present severe risks to civilians and have grave implications for regional and international peace and security.”
Departing Aleppo
Within Aleppo city, streets remained largely deserted and many shops were closed yesterday as frightened residents chose to remain indoors. Nevertheless, there was still a significant exodus of civilians from the city, as reported by witnesses and residents.
Rebel fighters displaying the opposition flag traversed the city, according to resident Yusuf Khatib, who communicated via phone. He noted that some rebels established positions at street intersections.
Syrian troops that had previously retreated from the city were regrouping, with reinforcements dispatched to assist in the counteroffensive.
Ahmad Tutenji, a merchant in the upscale New Aleppo neighborhood, expressed surprise at the army’s swift departure, stating, “I am shocked at how they fled and abandoned us.”
Abdullah al Halabi, a pensioner whose neighborhood was bombed near the central area of Qasr al Baladi, voiced concerns that the community might witness a repeat of the Russian-led bombings that resulted in thousands of casualties a decade ago.
