Syria’s army rushed in reinforcements on Sunday to push again insurgents from advancing farther into the northern Hama countryside after they seized Aleppo.
The insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took over most of Aleppo on Saturday in a shock offensive and have now claimed to have entered the town of Hama. There was no impartial affirmation of their declare.
Insurgent commander Col. Hassan Abdulghani mentioned individually the insurgents additionally took management of Sheikh Najjar, also called the Aleppo Industrial Metropolis, northeast of the town, Aleppo’s army academy and the sphere artillery faculty to the southwest.
Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi was because of journey to Syria’s capital Damascus afterward Sunday. He instructed reporters that Tehran will again the Syrian authorities and armed forces.
The swift and shock offensive is a large embarrassment for Syria’s President Bashar Assad and raises questions on his armed forces’ preparedness. It additionally comes at a time when Assad’s allies — Iran and teams it backs and Russia — are preoccupied with their very own conflicts.
Syrian state tv claimed authorities forces had killed almost 1,000 insurgents over the previous three days, with out offering proof or particulars.
Authorities airstrikes in a single day on Idlib metropolis, the rebel-held bastion close to Hama province and 65 kilometre southeast of Aleppo, killed three civilians and wounded 54 others, in keeping with the Syrian Civil Defence, also called the White Helmets, that operates in opposition-held areas.
It posted movies on X of the aftermath of regime airstrikes on Idlib metropolis.
Based on Syrian state information company SANA and a battle monitor, the military in a single day pushed again insurgents within the northern countryside of Hama province.
Britain-based opposition battle monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned that authorities reinforcements created a “robust defensive position” within the northern Hama countryside.
The observatory and Syrian state-run information community Al-Ikhbariyah additionally reported Russian airstrikes, each in Idlib and a number of the areas now beneath insurgent management.
In his first public feedback because the begin of the offensive, launched by the state information company Saturday night, Assad mentioned Syria will proceed to “defend its stability and territorial integrity towards terrorists and their supporters.” He added that Syria is ready to defeat them irrespective of how a lot their assaults intensify.
The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning level within the battle between Syrian authorities forces and insurgent fighters after 2011 protests towards Assad’s rule changed into an all-out battle. After showing to be shedding management of the nation to the rebels, the Aleppo battle secured Assad’s maintain on strategic areas of Syria, with opposition factions and their international backers controlling areas on the periphery.
