Rebels launch large-scale attack on Assad’s forces in northwestern Syria

Syrian rebel groups launched a large-scale attack on areas controlled by government forces, setting off fierce clashes for a second day and seizing territory in western Aleppo, government and opposition factions said Thursday.

The offensive was launched the same day the ceasefire began between Syrian ally Hezbollah and Israel. The attack was the biggest since March 2020 when Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Turkey, which supports the rebels, agreed to a ceasefire that ended years of fighting that uprooted millions of Syrians opposed to Assad’s rule.

Syria’s armed forces said Thursday the offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which controls much of northwest Syria, and is a violation of a de-escalation agreement. It said the attacks are ongoing and have targeted a number of villages and military bases.  (Read More)