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Smoke rises arsenic a subordinate of the rebels led by the Islamist militant radical Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drives connected a motorbike successful al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria. (Reuters)
Syrian authorities person unopen down Aleppo airdrome and cancelled each flights pursuing a rebel incursion into the city, subject sources informed Reuters connected Saturday. The offensive, led by the Islamist radical Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, marks the archetypal clip absorption fighters person reached Aleppo’s centre since their decision astir a decennary ago.
The rebels launched their astonishment onslaught connected Wednesday, sweeping done government-held towns and advancing into Aleppo by precocious Friday, according to an operations country coordinating the offensive.
Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commandant with the Jaish al-Izza brigade, credited their accelerated advancement to a deficiency of Iran-backed forces successful the region, which person been weakened by Israeli strikes amid the broader Middle East tensions triggered by the Gaza conflict.
Turkey is reported to person fixed tacit support for the offensive, according to absorption sources linked to Turkish intelligence. However, Turkish overseas ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli stated that Ankara prioritises determination stableness and cautioned that caller attacks endanger existing de-escalation agreements.
Russia, a cardinal state of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has pledged further subject enactment to Damascus to antagonistic the offensive. “New subject hardware volition get wrong 72 hours,” 2 subject sources told Reuters. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the attack, describing it arsenic a usurpation of Syria’s sovereignty and calling for a swift restoration of law order.
The latest unit represents the astir important escalation since March 2020, erstwhile Russia and Turkey brokered a woody to trim hostilities. Syrian authorities tv denied reports of rebels entering Aleppo, claiming that Russian airstrikes had supported authorities forces successful inflicting dense losses connected the insurgents successful Aleppo and Idlib’s countryside.
Civilians endure amid intensified fighting
The United Nations expressed sedate interest implicit the humanitarian toll of the renewed conflict. David Carden, the UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, said, “Relentless attacks implicit the past 3 days person claimed the lives of astatine slightest 27 civilians, including children arsenic young arsenic 8 years old.”
State media bureau SANA reported that 4 civilians, including 2 students, were killed successful Aleppo by rebel shelling targeting assemblage dormitories. It remains unclear whether they are among the casualties cited by the UN.
As the warring intensifies, concerns turn implicit its imaginable to further destabilise the region, which has already endured years of warfare and displacement.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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