Syrian and Russian jets carried out air strikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib on Sunday in the second day of intensive bombing aimed at pushing back insurgents who launched a shock offensive in the north this week, the Syrian army said.
The Syrian army said it had intensified strikes, carried out in co-ordination with Russian jets, on Idlib, claiming to have killed and wounded dozens of insurgents. Russian state media also reported on the increase in bombings targeting Syrian rebels.
Russia and Iran have been the main supporters of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad since 2011 when civil war broke out after the suppression of protests against his rule.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Mr Assad in Damascus on Sunday in a trip he said was aimed at conveying Tehran's support for the Syrian government and army as it confronts the largest offensive by rebel troops in recent years.
“I am going to Damascus to convey the message of the Islamic Republic to the Syrian government,” Mr Araghchi said. Iran will “firmly support the Syrian government and army,” he added, according to Iran's Irna state news agency. “The Syrian army will once again win over these terrorist groups as in the past,” he said.
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday said its consulate in Aleppo had come under attack but that all staff members were safe. The ministry's spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Mr Araghchi would visit Ankara after his trip to Syria.
Syrian opposition groups led by Hayat Tahrir continued to advance towards government-held areas in the north of the country. Authorities closed Aleppo International Airport and central roads after several districts were stormed.
Idlib has been subject to a truce brokered by Turkey and Russia since 2020 which had been holding despite violations.
Insurgents launched a shock offensive in Aleppo on Wednesday, just after a fragile ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah – which has supported the Syrian army throughout the civil war. The Syrian government regained control of Aleppo city in 2016 with the support of its Russian and Iranian allies.
There were also reports of rebels advancing on Hama – a town 140km south of Aleppo and 213km north of Damascus. By Saturday evening, the rebels said they had seized at least four towns in the central Hama province and claimed to have entered the provincial capital.
On Sunday, the Syrian army said military reinforcements had arrived in Hama “to support and back up the advance of our armed forces on this axis, amidst a state of mass escape by elements of armed terrorist organisations”.
The UN envoy for Syria on Sunday called for urgent and serious political engagement among Syrian and international stakeholders, stressing the need to prioritise a political solution to prevent further bloodshed in the country.
“I have repeatedly warned of the risks of escalation in Syria, of the dangers of mere conflict management rather than conflict resolution, and the reality that no Syrian party or existing grouping of actors can resolve the Syrian conflict via military means,” Geir Pederson said.
Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, designated a terrorist organisation by the UN Security Council, and a wide range of opposition factions, have gained ground amid intensified clashes, Mr Pedersen said.
“In a country torn by nearly 14 years of war and conflict, the latest developments pose severe risks to civilians and have serious implications for regional and international peace and security,” he warned, calling on resuming diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
