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Syrian Government Forces Rallying Following Unexpected Assault on Aleppo


Terrorist-led forces have spread throughout the city of Aleppo since launching a surprise Nov. 27 offensive.

Syrian government forces have announced a tactical retreat in the northeast Syrian city of Aleppo, as they reel from a surprise offensive launched by Sunni Islamist terrorists.

Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has reportedly led the drive into Aleppo from the neighboring Idlib province. The offensive began on Nov. 27 and, according to a Nov. 30 statement by the Syrian Defense Ministry, has spread to neighborhoods throughout the city.

HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and Russia. The Salafist Sunni Islamic faction formed from Jabhat al-Nusra, which itself began as a wing of al-Qaeda in Syria.

“The large numbers of terrorists and the multiple fronts of engagement prompted our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at reinforcing defense lines to absorb the attack, protect the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counter-offensive,” reads the translated Nov. 30 statement of the Syrian Defense Ministry.

The Syrian government said the HST-led offensive in Aleppo had intensified on Saturday, but government forces are continuing to put up fierce resistance. Still, the Syrian government acknowledged dozens of government troops have been killed and wounded in the attack on Aleppo.

While the HST-led forces are still spreading across Aleppo, the Syrian government forces said they’ve conducted intense strikes that have prevented the terrorists from being able to effectively entrench themselves within the city.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government said more of its forces are arriving to join in the coming counter-offensive in Aleppo.

It remains to be seen when this counter-offensive will emerge.

The recent attack on Aleppo is part of Syria’s ongoing civil war—a multi-sided conflict that has continued since 2011. The offensive marks a setback for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces had won control of the city in 2016 after a lengthy stalemate.

Russian forces, which have assisted Assad’s forces throughout the war, have reportedly conducted strikes to help stem the offensive across Aleppo.

Oleg Ignasyuk, a Russian military official coordinating operations in Syria, told the Russian state media agency Tass that Russian airstrikes have killed at least 200 of the terrorists involved in the Aleppo offensive.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced they spoke by phone on Saturday to discuss the renewed fighting around Aleppo. The two foreign ministers reaffirmed their respective country’s support for the Assad government and discussed joint efforts to help stabilize the situation there.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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