Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Monday branded an Islamist-led offensive that has captured swathes of territory a bid to redraw the map of the area according to US pursuits.
His feedback, made in a phonecall with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, got here because the Syrian navy and its ally Russia carried out lethal air raids on areas beneath Islamist and Turkish-backed insurgent management.
Assad is backed by Russia and Iran, each of which have confirmed they’ll assist his military combat again after Aleppo, the nation’s second metropolis, fell out of presidency management.
Syria has been at battle since Assad cracked down on democracy protests in 2011, and the battle has since drawn in overseas powers and jihadists, and left 500,000 individuals lifeless.
With Assad’s military again accountable for a lot of the nation after years of shifting battle strains, the battle had been principally dormant till final week, when the Islamist-led insurgent alliance launched the offensive.
“The terrorist escalation displays the far-reaching objectives of dividing the area and fragmenting the international locations in it and redraw the map according to the aims of america and the West,” Assad stated in a press release from his workplace.
In the course of the weekend, Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions took over Aleppo metropolis, barring neighbourhoods managed by Kurdish forces, in response to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Aleppo, an historic metropolis dominated by its landmark citadel, is dwelling to 2 million individuals, and noticed fierce battles earlier within the battle.
However till this weekend, the rebels have been by no means in a position to completely take over.
AFPTV footage confirmed rebels in navy fatigues patrolling Aleppo’s streets, some setting hearth to a Syrian flag and others holding up the inexperienced, pink, black and white flag of the revolution.
Whereas the streets seemed to be principally empty, some have been out to cheer for the advancing fighters.
HTS is an alliance led by Al-Qaeda’s former Syria department. It’s preventing alongside allied factions, with models taking orders from a joint command.
On Monday, air raids carried out collectively by Syria and Russia on a number of areas of Idlib province in northwest Syria killed 11 civilians, together with 5 youngsters, stated the Observatory.
“The strikes focused… displaced households dwelling on the sting of a displacement camp,” stated Hussein Ahmed Khudur, a 45-year-old instructor who sought refuge on the camp from preventing in Aleppo province.
He stated one of many youngsters who died was a scholar of his, and that the opposite 4 have been his sisters.
Russia, which first intervened straight within the Syrian battle in 2015, stated Monday it continued to assist Assad.
“We after all proceed to assist Bashar al-Assad and we proceed contacts on the acceptable ranges, we’re analysing the scenario,” stated Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Iran’s high diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, was in Syria on Sunday to ship a message of assist, state media stated.
On Monday, Iranian overseas ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei stated the Islamic republic had entered Syria on the official invitation of Assad’s authorities.
“Our navy advisers have been current in Syria, and they’re nonetheless current. The presence of advisers from the Islamic Republic of Iran in Syria shouldn’t be a brand new factor,” he stated.
– ‘Restricted utility’ –
Whereas the preventing is rooted in a battle that started greater than a decade in the past, a lot has modified since then.
Thousands and thousands of Syrians have been displaced, with about 5.5 million dwelling in neighbouring international locations.
Most of these concerned within the preliminary anti-Assad protests are both lifeless, in jail or dwelling in exile.
Russia is at battle in Ukraine, and Iran’s militant allies Hezbollah and Hamas have been massively weakened by greater than a yr of battle with Israel.
The position of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which performed a key position in backing the federal government notably round Aleppo, stays in query after it withdrew from a number of of its positions to concentrate on preventing Israel.
HTS and its allies started their offensive on Wednesday, simply as a ceasefire took impact in Lebanon after greater than a yr of battle between Hezbollah and Israel.
The violence in Syria has killed greater than 457 individuals, principally combatants but additionally together with at the very least 72 civilians, in response to the Observatory, which has a community of sources inside Syria.
The Observatory stated insurgent advances met little resistance.
Aaron Stein, president of the US-based Overseas Coverage Analysis Institute, stated “Russia’s presence has thinned out significantly and fast response air strikes have restricted utility”.
He referred to as the insurgent advance “a reminder of how weak the regime is”.
– ‘Misplaced’ –
Aron Lund of the Century Worldwide suppose tank stated: “Aleppo appears to be misplaced for the regime.”
He added: “And a authorities with out Aleppo shouldn’t be actually a useful authorities of Syria.”
Rebels have additionally taken dozens of cities throughout the north, together with Khan Sheikhun and Maaret al-Numan, roughly midway between Aleppo and Hama, the Observatory stated.
AFPTV footage confirmed rebels pushing into Hama province in central Syria, in addition to military tanks and gear deserted on the roadside.
The USA and its allies France, Germany and Britain referred to as Sunday for “de-escalation” in Syria, and for the safety of civilians and infrastructure.
The USA maintains a whole lot of troops in northeast Syria as a part of an anti-jihadist coalition.
Parallel to the HTS-led offensive, pro-Turkey factions in northern Syria attacked Kurdish fighters in Aleppo province on Sunday, with the Observatory saying they seized the strategic city of Tal Rifaat and close by villages.
On Monday, in mild of the takeover of Tal Rifaat, a US-backed, Kurdish-led power in Syria stated it’s in search of to evacuate Kurds round Aleppo to protected areas beneath its management.
