BEIRUT (AP) — Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have deployed in Syria to again the federal government’s counteroffensive towards a shock advance by insurgents who seized the most important metropolis of Aleppo final week, a militia official and a conflict monitor stated Monday.
Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged assault on Aleppo and moved into the countryside round Idlib and neighboring Hama province. The push is among the many rebels’ strongest in years and raised the prospect of one other violent entrance reopening within the Center East, at a time when U.S.-backed Israel is combating Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, each Iranian-allied teams.
It additionally dangers drawing Russia and Turkey — every with its personal pursuits to guard in Syria — into direct confrontation.
Authorities troops constructed a fortified defensive position in northern Hama in an try and stall the insurgents’ momentum whereas jets on Sunday pounded rebel-held traces. On Monday, Syria’s navy stated that their airstrikes alongside Russia’s killed 400 insurgents over the previous 24 hours. It stated that authorities forces had been mobilizing to encircle the rebels within the Aleppo, Hama, and Idlib countrysides.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a telephone name with Assad Monday stated Tehran was keen to offer all of the assist wanted to push again the insurgency. He echoed feedback from Iran’s prime diplomat Abbas Araghchi, who visited Assad Sunday earlier than touring to Ankara, Turkey, one of many rebels’ primary backers.
Neither official additional elaborated however Iran has been of Assad’s principal political and navy supporters and has deployed navy advisers and forces after 2011 protests towards Assad’s rule was an all-out conflict.
Tehran-backed Iraqi militias already in Syria mobilized and extra forces crossed the border to assist Assad’s authorities and military, stated the Iraqi militia official, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to talk to the media.
In accordance with Britain-based opposition conflict monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some 200 Iraqi militiamen on pickups crossed into Syria in a single day by means of the strategic Bou Kamal crossing. They had been anticipated to deploy in Aleppo to assist the Syrian military’s pushback towards the insurgents, the monitor stated.
The insurgent offensive in Syria has induced concern amongst neighboring nations that the battle might spill over. In Iraq, Inside Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Miqdad Miri stated that safety forces have deployed in larger numbers to guard their massive border with Syria.
The advance by the insurgents is a large embarrassment for Assad, and it comes at a time when his allies — Iran and teams it backs and Russia — are preoccupied with their very own conflicts.
Russia, whose intervention in Syria’s civil conflict on behalf of Assad was essential in turning the battle in his favor, has stated it should proceed to assist him.
“We, of course, continue to support Bashar Assad, we continue our contacts at the appropriate level and analyze the situation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters Monday. “A position will be formed regarding what is needed to stabilize the situation.”
Syrian and Russian airstrikes on insurgent positions continued largely in Hama and Idlib provinces. A minimum of 10 civilians had been killed in Idlib metropolis and province, in keeping with the Syrian Civil Protection in opposition-held areas.
Syrian Kurds had been fleeing the combating in massive numbers after Turkish-backed rebels seized Tel Rifaat from rival U.S.-backed Kurdish authorities. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces largely withdrew and known as for a humanitarian hall to permit folks to depart safely in convoys towards Aleppo and later to Kurdish-led northeast areas.