By Summary:
- Russian jets hit Idlib; rescuers say seven killed.
- Rebels say they push south of Aleppo, take town.
- Syrian army says it is gaining ground after losses.
AMMAN, Jordan, Dec 1 (AfrikTimes) – Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib in northern Syria on Sunday, according to military sources. This comes as President Bashar al-Assad vowed to crush the insurgents who recently took control of Aleppo.
Residents said one attack on the second day of raids hit a crowded residential area in the center of Idlib, the largest city in a rebel enclave near the Turkish border where around four million people live in makeshift tents and dwellings. At least seven people were killed and dozens injured, according to rescuers at the scene. The Syrian army and its ally Russia say they target the hideouts of insurgent groups and deny deliberately attacking civilians.
A view of a vehicle on fire in the aftermath of what the White Helmets say is a strike, in Idlib, Syria, released December 1, 2024, in this still image taken from a handout video. The White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS.
On Saturday, Russian and Syrian jets bombed other towns in Idlib province, which had fallen completely under rebel control in the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020. Insurgents swept into the city of Aleppo, east of Idlib province, on Friday night, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to Assad in years.
In remarks published on state media, Assad said: “terrorists only know the language of force and it is the language we will crush them with”. The Syrian army said dozens of its soldiers had been killed in the attack on Aleppo.
On Sunday, the army said it had recaptured several towns that had been overrun in recent days by rebels. The insurgents are a coalition of Turkey-backed mainstream secular armed groups along with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist group that is the opposition’s most formidable military force. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., Russia, Turkey and other states.
White Helmets members work at the scene of what the organization says is a strike, in Idlib, Syria, released December 1, 2024, in this still image taken from a handout video.
The war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced many millions, has ground on since 2011 with no formal end. But most major fighting halted years ago after Iran and Russia helped Assad’s government win control of most land and all major cities.
Debris of schools lies in the aftermath of airstrikes in Atarib, Aleppo, Syria November 29, 2024.
Armed rebel fighters waving the opposition flag drove through the city, Yusuf Khatib, a resident, told Reuters by phone. Some rebels took up positions on street intersections, he added.
The abrupt retreat of government forces shocked many locals. Ahmad Tutenji, a merchant in the affluent New Aleppo neighborhood, said he was surprised how quickly the army left. “I am shocked at how they fled and abandoned us.”
For others, the fear of a catastrophic repeat of past events loomed large. Abdullah al Halabi, a pensioner whose neighborhood was bombed near the central area of Qasr al Baladi, said people were terrified they would see a repeat of the Russian-led bombing that killed thousands of people before driving out rebels a decade ago.
A view of a damaged vehicle in the aftermath of what the White Helmets say is a strike, in Idlib, Syria, released December 1, 2024, in this still image taken from a handout video. The White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS.
Syrian troops who had withdrawn from the city were now regrouping and reinforcements were also being sent to help in the counteroffensive, army sources said.
Aleppo had been firmly held by the government since a 2016 victory there, one of the war’s major turning points, when Russian-backed Syrian forces besieged and laid waste to rebel-held eastern areas of what had been the country’s largest city.
Rebels said on Sunday they had pushed further south of Aleppo city and captured the town of Khansir in an attempt to cut the army’s main supply route to Aleppo city. Rebel sources said they had also captured Sheikh Najjar Industrial Zone, one of Syria’s key economic hubs. These battlefield reports, however, could not be independently verified by AfrikTimes.
Idlib, Syria, released December 1, 2024. The White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS.
Iran’s substantial involvement in the Syrian conflict, which included deploying thousands of Shi’ite militias and bolstering Assad’s forces alongside Russia’s airpower, was crucial in crushing earlier insurgencies and regaining most of his territory. However, the absence of that manpower to help thwart the recent rebel onslaught contributed to the rapid retreat of Syrian army forces, according to two army sources.
Pro-Iranian military group, led by Hezbollah, have a strong presence in the Aleppo area. However, recent Israeli strikes on Iranian bases in Syria and its concurrent offensive in Lebanon have reportedly weakened Hezbollah and its military capabilities, potentially undermining the Syrian army’s ability to counter the latest rebel offensive.
People walk near a damaged school building in the aftermath of airstrikes in Idlib, Syria, November 29, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video.
