Syrian rebels swept into the northwestern city of Aleppo on Nov. 30, launching a major attack that forced the army to redeploy, the Syrian army reported.
Russia has promised Damascus additional military assistance that is expected to arrive in the next 72 hours, two sources in the Syrian military told Reuters.
The attack marks a new stage in a largely frozen conflict, since government forces backed by Russia and Iran pushed rebels out of Aleppo eight years ago. The front lines in the conflict between anti-government rebels and the army of dictator Bashar al-Assad have been mostly frozen since 2020.
Rebels launched the shock offensive from areas of northwestern Syria that remain outside of Assad's control. In response to advancing rebel forces, the Russian air force on Nov. 29 carried out an aerial attack against Aleppo and bordering Idlib province, Russian state media reported.
The attacks against Idlib reportedly killed four civilians and injured 25 others, including eight children, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, a rescue service working in opposition-held areas of Syria.
The Syrian government and Russian warplanes again targeted residential neighborhoods of Aleppo with strikes on Nov. 30, the Syrian Civil Defense said in a post on X.
The Syrian military claimed the strikes kept the rebels from establishing fixed positions in Aleppo, although the state army was still forced to withdraw.
The army is now carrying out "a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defense lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counterattack," the Syrian military command said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the insurgent attack in remarks on Nov. 29.
"We are in favor of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," he said.
Moscow deployed its troops to Syria in 2015, providing support to the Assad regime against multiple anti-government forces. Damascus has been supportive of the Kremlin during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Russian forces operating in Syria have been accused by the U.N. and other organizations of committing war crimes in the country, including the intentional bombing of hospitals and the usage of "double-tap" attacks, a tactic Russia has repeated in Ukraine.
Nate Ostiller
(Updated: )
