Russian and Syrian warplanes launched airstrikes on rebel-held areas in Syria's northwest after insurgents, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, advanced into Aleppo. This marks a significant escalation in the Syrian civil war, challenging Assad's control.
AMMAN (Reuters) - Russian and Syrian warplanes targeted insurgents in an Aleppo city suburb on Saturday, two Syrian military sources said, after the rebel fighters penetrated the heart of the city in Syria's northwest in a surprise attack the previous day.
The attack by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham marks the most significant challenge in years to President Bashar al-Assad, jolting the frontlines of the Syrian civil war that have largely been frozen since 2020.
The Syrian Civil Defense, a rescue service operating in opposition-held parts of Syria, said in a post on X that Syrian government and Russian aircraft carried out airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods, a gas station and a school in rebel-held Idlib, killing four civilians and wounding six others.
Russia, which deployed its air force to Syria in 2015 to support Assad in the war, has promised Damascus extra military aid to thwart the rebels, the two military sources said, adding this would start arriving in the next 72 hours.
The insurgent force began its surprise offensive earlier this week, sweeping through government-held towns and reaching Aleppo nearly a decade after government forces backed by Russia and Iran drove rebels from the city.
Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading into the city on Saturday, the two military sources and a third army source said.
The Syrian army has been told to follow "safe withdrawal" orders from the main areas of the city that the rebels have entered, the three military sources said.
On Friday, Syrian state television denied rebels had reached the city and said Russia was providing Syria's military with air support.
The Syrian military said on Friday it was fighting back against the attack and had inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib.
Also speaking on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regarded the rebel attack as a violation of Syria's sovereignty.
"We are in favour of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," he said.
The rebels began their incursion on Wednesday under the umbrella of an operations room, including groups that are backed by Turkey. On Friday, the operations room said its forces were sweeping through various neighbourhoods of Aleppo.
Assad recovered full control of Aleppo city from rebel forces in 2016, aided by Russian air power and Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, with the insurgents agreeing to withdraw after months of bombardment and siege.
Insurgents maintained a foothold near Aleppo in Idlib province and in areas north of the city at the Turkish border.
SPILLOVER EFFECT OF GAZA WAR
Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, said their speedy advance this week had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower in the broader Aleppo province. Iran's allies in the region have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through the Middle East.
The opposition fighters have said the campaign was in response to stepped-up strikes in recent weeks against civilians by the Russian and Syrian air force on areas in rebel-held Idlib, and to preempt any attacks by the Syrian army.
Opposition sources in touch with Turkish intelligence said Turkey, which supports the rebels, had given a green light to the offensive.
Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment on Saturday.
Turkey's foreign ministry said on Friday that clashes between rebels and government forces in the northwest had resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions.
In a statement on Friday, spokesperson Oncu Keceli said that avoiding greater instability in the region was Turkey's priority, adding that Ankara had warned that recent attacks on Idlib undermined the spirit and implementation of de-escalation agreements.
The attack by insurgents is the biggest since March 2020, when Russia and Turkey agreed to a deal to de-escalate the conflict.
On March 31, 2025, European diplomats met in Madrid to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the need for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
Russia and the US have initiated talks on joint rare earth metals projects, with some companies already showing interest, according to Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev. This cooperation comes amid U.S. President Trump's efforts to end the Ukraine war and follows Putin's proposal for joint exploration.
Moscow and Washington have initiated discussions on potential joint projects involving rare earth metals and other critical resources in Russia, according to Russia's special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev.
Trump threatens to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil if Moscow obstructs efforts to end the war in Ukraine, expressing frustration over Putin's comments on Zelenskiy’s leadership.
Russian drones struck a military hospital, shopping centre, apartment blocks, and other targets in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, late on Saturday. The attacks resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to at least 25 others, according to local officials and the Ukrainian military.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Monday that a court's decision to bar her from office for misuse of European funds ruled her out of the 2027 presidential election, adding she had no confidence in an appeal being heard before the vote.
On March 31, 2025, European diplomats met in Madrid to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the need for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
President Trump confirmed he is serious about a potential third term, despite constitutional limits, saying it is “far too early” to decide. While U.S. presidents are restricted to two terms, Trump allies are exploring ways to challenge this rule ahead of the 2028 election.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing 2056 people and leaving 3,900 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Monday that a court's decision to bar her from office for misuse of European funds ruled her out of the 2027 presidential election, adding she had no confidence in an appeal being heard before the vote.
On March 31, 2025, European diplomats met in Madrid to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the need for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
President Trump confirmed he is serious about a potential third term, despite constitutional limits, saying it is “far too early” to decide. While U.S. presidents are restricted to two terms, Trump allies are exploring ways to challenge this rule ahead of the 2028 election.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
Three of the four U.S. Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania last week when their vehicle sunk in a peat bog have been found dead. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda expressed deep sorrow and stated that the search for the remaining soldier is ongoing.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Monday that a court's decision to bar her from office for misuse of European funds ruled her out of the 2027 presidential election, adding she had no confidence in an appeal being heard before the vote.
On March 31, 2025, European diplomats met in Madrid to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the need for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
President Trump confirmed he is serious about a potential third term, despite constitutional limits, saying it is “far too early” to decide. While U.S. presidents are restricted to two terms, Trump allies are exploring ways to challenge this rule ahead of the 2028 election.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment