The Syrian military reported on Saturday that dozens of its soldiers had been killed in an insurgent attack in northwestern Syria. The rebels, led by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, managed to enter large parts of Aleppo city, forcing the Syrian army to redeploy its forces. This was the first official acknowledgment from the Syrian military that insurgents had entered Aleppo in a surprise attack that began earlier this week.
The Syrian military explained that the large number of rebels and the multiple battlefronts prompted a redeployment to strengthen defense lines. This move aimed to absorb the attack, protect civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counterattack. Despite the insurgents entering the city, the military said they had not been able to hold any fixed positions due to ongoing bombardment.
The attack is the most significant challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years, as it disrupts the frontlines of the Syrian civil war, which have been mostly static since 2020. Syrian and Russian warplanes targeted insurgents in an Aleppo suburb on Saturday as part of the military response. Russia has been aiding Assad since 2015 with air support.
The offensive, which began earlier this week, has seen rebels capture government-held towns and reach Aleppo, nearly a decade after the city was retaken by government forces supported by Russia and Iran.
Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the attack, calling it a violation of Syria's sovereignty and emphasizing Moscow’s support for restoring order in the country.