The jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions have taken control of most of the city of Aleppoincluding government facilities and prisons, as reported this Saturday by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH).
This advance occurs within the framework of a lightning offensive against the forces of the syrian regimesupported by Russia e Iranstarted last Wednesday.
For the first time since 2016, Russian fighter jets carried out airstrikes on areas of Aleppo in the early hours of Saturday, coinciding with the arrival of important military reinforcements from the rebels to the area, indicated the Observatory.
The Russian air attack that occurred in the early hours of Saturday has left at least four dead in a military barracks located on the outskirts of the city of Mare, in the north of the Syrian province of Aleppoas reported by the OSDH.
The Observatory, based in London and with a network of informants inside Syria, reported that A Russian fighter jet launched three missiles at the target. So far, the identities of the victims have not been confirmed and an official estimate of the number of injured has not been reported.
This resurgence of Russian bombings underscores the magnitude of the threat that the advances of the jihadist group HTS pose.. He Observatory raised the death toll in the clashes to 311 people.
Among the victims are 183 HTS fighters and allied factions backed by Türkiye100 soldiers and pro-government forces, and 28 civilians.
He Observatory also reported that senior regime officials, including the governor of Aleppo and police and security commanders withdrew from the city center, leaving the area under insurgent control.
The offensive of HTS in Aleppo began on Wednesday, the same day a fragile ceasefire went into effect in neighboring Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollahsupported by Iran.
This context highlights the connections between conflicts in Syria y Lebanonwhere groups supported by regional powers, such as Iran y Türkiyemaintain a significant influence.
He Observatory He explained that the Russian air attacks, resumed after six years, coincide with the arrival of significant military reinforcements by the rebels.
It is important to mention that the city of Aleppo, one of the most important in Syriahas been a strategic point in the conflict since the start of the war in 2011. In 2016, the Bashar Al Assad regime, with the support of Russian aviation and militias backed by Iran, recovered the eastern neighborhoods of the city that were in the hands of the rebels..
However, the recent offensive of HTS shows that the territorial advances of the regime have not been definitive.
The intensification of fighting in Aleppo has had a strong impact on the civilian population, trapped between bombings and clashes. According to the Observatorythe offensive of HTS and Russian bombing could generate a new massive displacement of civilians, as occurred in previous campaigns.
Furthermore, the resurgence of Russian bombing in Aleppo and rebel advances could further escalate the conflict, with risks of wider confrontations between the powers that support the different factions in Syria.
(With information from AFP and Europa Press)
