At least 25 individuals lost their lives in airstrikes conducted by the Syrian government and Russia in northwestern Syria, as reported by the White Helmets, a rescue service operated by the Syrian opposition, early on Monday.
Military sources indicated that Russian and Syrian aircraft targeted the rebel-controlled city of Idlib in northern Syria on Sunday, coinciding with President Bashar al-Assad‘s commitment to eliminate insurgents who have advanced into Aleppo.
The military also announced the recapture of several towns that had recently fallen to rebel forces.
Witnesses reported that one of the strikes impacted a densely populated residential area in central Idlib, the largest city within a rebel enclave near the Turkish border, which is home to approximately four million people living in temporary shelters.
Rescue workers at the scene confirmed that at least seven people were killed and many others injured. The Syrian army and its Russian allies assert that their operations focus on insurgent hideouts and deny targeting civilians.
Among the deceased in the airstrikes in and around Idlib, as well as other locations in rebel-held areas near Aleppo, were ten children, according to the White Helmets.
The total number of fatalities from Syrian and Russian airstrikes since November 27 has risen to 56, including 20 children, as stated by the organization on X.
The insurgent factions comprise a coalition of Turkey-backed mainstream secular armed groups alongside Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist organization recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S., Russia, Turkey, and other nations.
In recent days, insurgents have taken control of the entire Idlib province, marking the most significant rebel offensive in years within a civil war that had seen front lines largely stagnant since 2020.
On Friday night, the insurgents also advanced into Aleppo, located to the east of Idlib, prompting the army to reposition its forces.
In statements released by state media, President Assad remarked, “Terrorists only understand the language of force, and it is with this language that we will defeat them.”
The Syrian army reported that numerous soldiers had lost their lives during the clashes in Aleppo.
Russian military bloggers indicated on Sunday that Moscow had relieved Sergei Kisel, the general overseeing its operations in Syria, following the insurgents’ incursion into Aleppo. Reuters has sought a response from the Russian defense ministry.
In a collaborative statement, the United States, France, Germany, and Britain called for “de-escalation by all parties and the safeguarding of civilians and infrastructure to avert further displacement and disruption of humanitarian access.”
LEAVING ALEPPO
Within Aleppo, the streets were largely deserted, and many businesses remained shuttered on Sunday as anxious residents chose to stay indoors. Witnesses and locals reported a significant number of civilians departing the city. Rebel fighters, displaying the opposition flag, traversed the streets, as noted by resident Yusuf Khatib in a phone call to Reuters. Some rebels established positions at key intersections, he added.
Ahmad Tutenji, a businessman from the affluent New Aleppo district, expressed his astonishment at the rapid withdrawal of the army. “I am shocked at how they fled and abandoned us.”
Abdullah al Halabi, a retiree residing in a neighborhood that was bombed near the central region of Qasr al Baladi, expressed that the community was filled with fear of experiencing a recurrence of the Russian-led bombings that resulted in the deaths of thousands and ultimately drove out rebels a decade ago.
According to military sources, Syrian troops that had previously retreated from the city were now regrouping, with additional reinforcements being dispatched to support the counter-offensive.
Since a significant victory in 2016, Aleppo has remained under government control, marking a pivotal moment in the conflict when Russian-backed Syrian forces besieged and devastated the rebel-held eastern sections of what was once the largest city in the country.
On Sunday, rebels reported advancing further south of Aleppo city and seizing the town of Khansir in an effort to disrupt the army’s primary supply line to the city.
Rebel sources also indicated that they had taken control of the Sheikh Najjar estate, a key industrial area in the country.
The ongoing war, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and displaced millions, has persisted since 2011 without a formal resolution.
Most intense fighting ceased years ago after Iranian-backed militias and Russian air support enabled Assad to regain control over all major urban centers.
According to two military sources, the recent rapid withdrawal of Syrian army forces was partly due to a shortage of manpower.
The recent rebel advances coincided with an increase in Israeli strikes targeting Iranian bases in Syria and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon. Iranian-aligned militias, particularly Hezbollah, have maintained a significant presence in the Aleppo region.
During a visit to Damascus on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi acknowledged the challenging situation in Syria but asserted that the Assad government would ultimately prevail.
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