BBC - The Syrian army says it is suffering heavy casualties in clashes with rebels who have reportedly already captured parts of territory controlled by the Syrian military and hold most areas of Aleppo. In the first official statement from the Syrian army since the start of the rebel offensive, released on Saturday, it said dozens of Syrian troops were killed in clashes in northwestern Syria.
According to sources, the onslaught of opposition forces is so great that in some places the pro-government army is forced to retreat without resistance. “The large number of terrorists and the multiple fronts prompted our armed forces to carry out redeployment operations aimed at strengthening defense lines to repel the attack, save civilian lives and soldiers and prepare for a counterattack,” the army command said in a statement.
More than 300 people, including 20 civilians, have been killed since the rebel offensive began last Wednesday, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). This is the first time since 2016 that Russian aircraft are supporting Bashar al-Assad's pro-government forces from the air. According to eyewitnesses, air raids on parts of Aleppo continued throughout the night from Friday to Saturday.
Aleppo airport and roads to the city are blocked, a Syrian army source told Reuters. According to SOHR, rebels were capturing entire areas of Aleppo without encountering resistance. A spokesman for the organization told the BBC that the city council buildings, police stations and intelligence offices were empty. “This has never happened before,” a SOHR spokesman said. This is the first rebel offensive against the Syrian regime since 2016.
After four years of civil war, in 2020, they were driven back by Assad's army outside the territories controlled by government forces. Since then, the rebels have firmly established themselves in Idlib near Aleppo and in areas north of the city, near the border with Turkey. Last Wednesday, opposition fighters led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (banned in Russia as a terrorist organization) began moving towards Aleppo and reached the city by Friday.
According to sources, the onslaught of opposition forces is so great that in some places the pro-government army is forced to retreat without resistance. “The large number of terrorists and the multiple fronts prompted our armed forces to carry out redeployment operations aimed at strengthening defense lines to repel the attack, save civilian lives and soldiers and prepare for a counterattack,” the army command said in a statement.
More than 300 people, including 20 civilians, have been killed since the rebel offensive began last Wednesday, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). This is the first time since 2016 that Russian aircraft are supporting Bashar al-Assad's pro-government forces from the air. According to eyewitnesses, air raids on parts of Aleppo continued throughout the night from Friday to Saturday.
Aleppo airport and roads to the city are blocked, a Syrian army source told Reuters. According to SOHR, rebels were capturing entire areas of Aleppo without encountering resistance. A spokesman for the organization told the BBC that the city council buildings, police stations and intelligence offices were empty. “This has never happened before,” a SOHR spokesman said. This is the first rebel offensive against the Syrian regime since 2016.
After four years of civil war, in 2020, they were driven back by Assad's army outside the territories controlled by government forces. Since then, the rebels have firmly established themselves in Idlib near Aleppo and in areas north of the city, near the border with Turkey. Last Wednesday, opposition fighters led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (banned in Russia as a terrorist organization) began moving towards Aleppo and reached the city by Friday.
Russian participation
Syrian Civil Defense, a rescue service operating in opposition-controlled parts of Syria, said on Platform X (formerly Twitter) that Syrian and Russian aircraft carried out airstrikes on residential areas, a gas station and a school in rebel-held Idlib.
As a result of the bombing, according to rescuers, four people were killed and six were injured. Russia, which sent its air force to Syria in 2015 to support Bashar al-Assad in the civil war, is now promising additional military assistance to Damascus, which, according to Syrian military sources, will begin arrive within the next 72 hours.
The day before, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow regards the rebel attack as a violation of Syrian sovereignty. “We are for the Syrian authorities to restore order in their country and restore constitutional order as soon as possible,” he said.
Syrian Civil Defense, a rescue service operating in opposition-controlled parts of Syria, said on Platform X (formerly Twitter) that Syrian and Russian aircraft carried out airstrikes on residential areas, a gas station and a school in rebel-held Idlib.
As a result of the bombing, according to rescuers, four people were killed and six were injured. Russia, which sent its air force to Syria in 2015 to support Bashar al-Assad in the civil war, is now promising additional military assistance to Damascus, which, according to Syrian military sources, will begin arrive within the next 72 hours.
The day before, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow regards the rebel attack as a violation of Syrian sovereignty. “We are for the Syrian authorities to restore order in their country and restore constitutional order as soon as possible,” he said.
