HUNDREDS KILLED
In 2016, the Syrian military – supported by Russian air energy – recaptured rebel-held areas of Aleppo, a metropolis dominated by its landmark citadel.
Damascus additionally relied on Hezbollah fighters to regain swaths of Syria misplaced to rebels early within the warfare, which started in 2011 when the federal government crushed protests. However Hezbollah has taken heavy losses in its combat with Israel.
Earlier than this offensive, HTS, led by Al-Qaeda’s former Syria department, already managed swaths of the Idlib area, the final main insurgent bastion within the northwest.
HTS additionally held components of the neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces.
The most recent combating has killed greater than 412 folks, principally combatants but in addition together with a minimum of 61 civilians, in keeping with the Observatory, which has a community of sources inside Syria.
The Observatory mentioned insurgent advances met little resistance.
It mentioned Sunday the military strengthened its positions round Syria’s fourth largest metropolis Hama, about 230km south of Aleppo, and despatched reinforcements to the north of the encircling province.
Rebels have taken dozens of cities throughout the north, together with Khan Sheikhun and Maaret al-Numan, roughly midway between Aleppo and Hama, the Observatory mentioned.
The air strikes on components of Aleppo have been the primary since 2016. One resident informed AFP most locals have been “holed up at dwelling”.
