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As the rebel group began its offensive on Wednesday, insurgents seized several towns and villages in Aleppo.
Syrian opposition supporters stand atop a captured Syrian army tank in the town of Maarat al-Numan. (AP)
The Syrian city of Aleppo is no longer under the control of President Bashar al-Assad’s government for the first time since the conflict began in the country after insurgents led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept the city, according to a war monitor.
HTS and allied rebel factions “control Aleppo city, except the neighbourhoods controlled by the Kurdish forces. For the first time since the conflict started in 2012, Aleppo city is out of control of Syrian regime forces,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP.
The rebel offensive began on Wednesday, becoming the first major attack in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled the war-torn country since 2000. The insurgents seized several towns and villages during the offensive and captured an airport and the city of Maraat al Numan in Idlib province.
The attack was the fiercest rebel attack in Syria in years after a civil war forced the front lines to remain frozen since 2020. The timing of the attacks raised concerns of another violent front amid ongoing tensions in West Asia, with Israel fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon
In a telephone call with his Emirati counterpart, Assad vowed to defeat the “terrorists”, no matter how big their attacks. The Observatory reported that the army had pulled out of Syria’s fourth largest city Hama, around 140 kilometres (90 miles) south of Aleppo, in the face of the rebel advance, although the Army denied this.
Russia Launches Airstrikes, Iran Backs Assad
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air force carried out strikes in support of Assad and the Syrian Army. The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria said the Army supported by the Russian air force launched missile strikes on gathering areas, controls and positions of the insurgents, killing more than 300 rebel insurgents.
Notably, Assad is a close ally of Russia, while the rebelling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, once known as the Nusra front, is designated a terrorist group by the United States, Russia, Turkey and other states. Russia’s support had become the crucial point in the Army’s victory against the rebels in 2016 in Aleppo.
Iran, which also backed Assad during the civil war, expressed support for Assad and the government’s forces. Tehran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that he will leave for Damascus to deliver a message of support for the Army forces, emphasising that it will win over “these terrorist groups” as in the past.
On Saturday, Iran’s foreign ministry said its consulate in Aleppo had come under attack, but staff members were safe.
Syrian Army Soldiers Killed In Aleppo Offensive
Acknowledging the rebel advance, the Syrian army command said insurgents had entered much of Aleppo, killing dozens of soldiers. The Syrian military command said militants had attacked in large numbers and from multiple directions, prompting “our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defence lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers”.
The Britain-based Observatory said that the government had lost 100 troops and militiamen as the governor and the police and security branch commanders withdrew from the city centre. Rebels were seen posing with a rebel flag outside a police station with Assad’s portrait.
Russia and Turkey have expressed concern over the situation, while the United States said Syria’s refusal to engage in a political process and its reliance on Russia and Iran had created the current conditions. It denied involvement in the offensive and called for de-escalation. France has also called on all sides to protect civilians.
(with inputs from agencies)
- Location :
Damascus, Syria
