The dictatorial regime has lost control of Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city, due to an unexpected offensive, and in response, Syrian and Russian jets are increasing their attacks on rebel fighters in northern Syria.
Large portions of the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, as well as a significant military facility east of Aleppo, have been taken by the rebel alliance as a result of the onslaught. Regime forces have not opposed it much on the ground, and it coincides with Russia and Iran, Syria’s main supporters, concentrating on their wars.
Human rights organizations and relief organizations say that Syrian army airstrikes in recent days have caused displacement in areas affected by fighting and killed dozens of people. According to a statement released Friday by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, approximately 20,000 individuals have been internally displaced within the Aleppo governorate and outside.
All parties were asked to respect international law by the UN earlier this month. The Syrian people “must not endure more suffering,” said Adam Abdelmoula, the organization’s humanitarian coordinator for Syria.
The rebels’ overwhelming victory has presented President Bashar al-Assad with his greatest obstacle in eight years since Russian air power helped undo the insurgents’ achievements in the civil war.
Key locations in Aleppo have been taken over by the recently established rebel alliance, which identifies itself as the Military Operations Command. CNN confirmed that footage from the airport showed rebels wearing camouflage inside the main terminal.
The rebels took important military locations east of Aleppo city on Sunday, consolidating their gains. However, Kurdish forces now control portions of the neighborhoods they left behind.
The Syrian defense ministry vowed a regime counteroffensive, but it would be impossible to execute given the opposition forces’ hold on Aleppo.
Syrian and Russian attacks on fighters conducted through bombing operations led to death mostly women and children.
Government and Russian aircraft stationed in Syria have conducted bombing operations against rebel sites in Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama.
On Monday, the volunteer rescue group known as the White Helmets reported that operations killed at least 13 civilians in Idlib. Among the fatalities were women, as stated by the White Helmets.
According to the organization, the military launched an aerial bombardment on the northwest neighborhood of Al-Jalaa Street and the area next to Shebab Mosque.
According to the White Helmets, Syrian army airplanes murdered two mothers and five children in a displacement area close to Harbanoush in Idlib. The attack also injured at least 12 additional persons.
After the incident, emergency personnel searched through the debris. The personnel searched through dense debris, ripped blankets, and dusty cushions in social media footage released by the White Helmets. One video shows a rescuer seemingly carrying a young child’s lifeless body.
The official Russian news agency TASS published a report on Sunday. According to it, the Syrian army command stated that their air forces “stepped up strikes on terrorist positions and their supply lines. Military forces killed and wounded dozens of terrorists as a result.
Media reports indicate that at least four individuals were killed near Aleppo University on Sunday. The geolocation of social media footage near Aleppo University identified the incident on Sunday.
Whether Syrian or Russian regime planes carried out the strike is unknown. The strike comes after one in a western Aleppo square on Saturday that claimed multiple lives.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that a Russian strike had destroyed a Franciscan convent in Aleppo. Vatican News reported that the incident did not result in any recorded injuries.
The White Helmets reported that airstrikes struck Idlib city on Sunday, killing at least four people. Rebels currently control Idlib city.
A historic flare-up
Assad stated that Syria will defend its stability. He also declared that Syria will protect its territorial integrity against terrorists and their supporters. He stated this during calls with regional leaders on Saturday, his first remarks since the swift takeover.
According to Assad, Syria can defeat terrorists, despite intense attacks. With the help of allies and friends, Syria can eliminate them.
The long-running civil conflict in Syria has claimed over 300,000 lives. This conflict has also resulted in nearly 6 million refugees. A rebel attack rekindled the conflict. The conflict never officially ended. The biggest flare-up since Russia and Turkey agreed upon the ceasefire in Idlib in 2020 has occurred.
Assad will “certainly continue to receive support” from Russia, a Kremlin presidential official said. Moscow has supported Assad’s dictatorship by providing combat aircraft to his troops. They have used these aircraft to crush opposition victories in the protracted civil conflict.
Moscow: The Russian army will continuously attacks fighters in Syria
When asked if Moscow still supports the Syrian army militarily, Dmitry Peskov responded on Monday. He stated, “We certainly continue to support Bashar al-Assad. We also continue our contacts at relevant levels.”
As anti-government militias expanded, Russia and Iran, Syria’s allies, increased their backing for the government. Earlier this year, Human Rights Watch accused Russian and Syrian military troops of committing indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Also, attacks were on vital infrastructure which continued into 2023.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has supported Assad in the civil war. Assad warned him on Sunday that he plans to fight with all force and determination. He intends to fight throughout Syria’s territory.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) commands the rebels in Syria. Turkey now sponsors this group, which was previously funded by the United States. The group, previously known as the Al-Nusra Front, operates as a former offshoot of al Qaeda in Syria.
Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, shared her concerns with the media. This poses a problem for governments in the West.
She wondered if they should applaud the opposition’s takeover of Aleppo. But also considered the potential risks of the city falling under Islamist control. Syria’s second-largest city is Aleppo.
The events in Syria suggest that the balance of power in the nation has changed.
According to Aydintasbas, the developments in Syria indicate a shift in the country’s power dynamics. Subsequently, Turkey is emerging as a major actor. Russia’s influence is waning and Iran is on the defensive.
The rebel coalition’s Free Syrian Army announced on Sunday that they had taken over the towns of Ain Daqna and Sheikh Issa in the northern Aleppo governorate. They also declared control over the city of Tal Rifaat.
Additionally, it asserted that it had taken control of the northern Aleppo rural villages of Shaaleh and Nairabiyyeh.
Previously, the Syrian Democratic Forces, a different group, controlled those areas. At that time, instead of Bashar al-Assad’s government, the Syrian Democratic Forces were in control.
Kurdish combatants make up the majority of the Syrian Democratic Forces. They belong to the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a group that Turkey, a neighboring country, considers a terrorist organization.
Although the Syrian Democratic Forces have fought other Syrian opposition organizations in the past, the US has historically supported them in their fight against ISIS.
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