The Syrian military deployed reinforcements Sunday to the northern Hama countryside to halt insurgents advancing from Aleppo and surrounding strategic locations. This comes after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led insurgents launched a surprise offensive, taking control of most of Aleppo on Saturday. Rebel commander Col. Hassan Abdulghani claimed that insurgents also seized Sheikh Najjar, the Aleppo Industrial City northeast of Aleppo, as well as the Aleppo Military Academy and the Field Artillery College to the southwest. Insurgents further claimed to have entered the city of Hama, though this could not be independently verified. The development comes at a time when President Bashar Assad's key allies, including Iran and Russia, are distracted by their own regional conflicts. In his first public comments since the offensive began, Assad vowed to "defend Syria's stability and territorial integrity" and asserted his confidence in defeating the insurgents. Syrian state television reported that government forces had killed nearly 1,000 insurgents over the past three days, though it provided no evidence to support the claim. Overnight, government airstrikes on Idlib city, an opposition stronghold, reportedly killed four civilians and wounded 54 others, according to the White Helmets civil defense group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that government reinforcements had established a "strong defensive line" in northern Hama, while Russian airstrikes targeted rebel-controlled areas in Idlib and Aleppo. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Damascus on Sunday, reaffirming Tehran's support for Assad's government and military. The fall of Aleppo to insurgents is a symbolic and strategic blow to the Syrian government. In 2016, Aleppo was the site of a pivotal battle that marked a turning point in Syria's civil war. Backed by Russian and Iranian forces, the government recaptured the city, consolidating control over key territories. The insurgents' latest offensive, however, signals a potential shift in momentum and threatens to reignite Syria's prolonged conflict, which has been largely at a stalemate in recent years. Government airstrikes and Russian military operations continue to target areas under rebel control, adding to the already dire humanitarian situation in northern Syria. — Agencies
