Syria sends in reinforcements to halt insurgents from advancing after seizing Aleppo

BEIRUT – The Syrian navy rushed in reinforcements Sunday to push again insurgents from advancing farther into the northern Hama countryside after they seized Aleppo and surrounding strategic areas in an adjoining province in a shock offensive.

The insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took over most of Aleppo on Saturday and claimed to have entered town of Hama. There was no unbiased affirmation of their declare. Insurgent commander Col. Hassan Abdulghani mentioned individually the insurgents additionally took management of Sheikh Najjar, also called the Aleppo Industrial Metropolis, northeast of town, Aleppo’s navy academy and the sphere artillery school to the southwest.

Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi travels to Syrian capital Damascus later Sunday. He instructed reporters that Tehran will again the Syrian authorities and military.

The swift and shock offensive is a big embarrassment for Syria’s President Bashar Assad and raises questions on his armed forces’ preparedness. It additionally comes at a time when Assad’s allies — Iran and teams it backs and Russia — are preoccupied with their very own conflicts.

Syrian state tv claimed authorities forces had killed almost 1,000 insurgents over the previous three days, with out offering proof or particulars.

Authorities airstrikes in a single day on Idlib metropolis, the rebel-held bastion close to Hama province and 65 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Aleppo, killed 4 civilians and wounded 54 others, based on the Syrian Civil Protection, also called the White Helmets, that operates in opposition-held areas.

In accordance with Syrian state information company SANA and a warfare monitor, the military in a single day pushed again insurgents within the northern countryside of Hama province.

Britain-based opposition warfare monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned that authorities reinforcements created a “robust defensive position” within the northern Hama countryside.

The observatory and Syrian state-run information community Al-Ikhbariyah additionally reported Russian airstrikes, each in Idlib and a number of the areas now beneath insurgent management.

In his first public feedback because the begin of the offensive, launched by the state information company Saturday night, Assad mentioned Syria will proceed to “defend its stability and territorial integrity towards terrorists and their supporters.” He added that Syria is ready to defeat them regardless of how a lot their assaults intensify.

The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning level within the warfare between Syrian authorities forces and insurgent fighters after 2011 protests towards Assad’s rule became an all-out warfare. After showing to be dropping management of the nation to the rebels, the Aleppo battle secured Assad’s maintain on strategic areas of Syria, with opposition factions and their overseas backers controlling areas on the periphery.