Syrian rebels in the last opposition-held enclave of northern Syria launched a significant military operation against the Syrian army on Wednesday, marking their first territorial advance in years, local reports confirm.
The wide-scale offensive, named "Deterring Aggression," was spearheaded by the militant Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions under the al-Fatah al-Mubin operations room. Within hours, rebels reportedly overran at least 21 villages, towns, and strategic sites in northwestern Aleppo province, previously under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the operation resulted in the deaths of 89 combatants&mdash;52 fighters from HTS and its allies and 37 Syrian government soldiers. Additionally, rebels captured five Syrian soldiers, seizing armoured vehicles, weapons depots, and heavy artillery in the process.
The rebel advance reached approximately 10 kilometres (6 miles) from Aleppo&rsquo;s outskirts and pushed close to Nubl and Zahra, two Shia-majority towns where Hezbollah militias maintain a strong presence. The incursion is the first since a 2020 ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and Turkey, which had halted large-scale military confrontations in northwest Syria.
Rebel groups cited intensified Russian and Syrian airstrikes on civilian areas in Idlib in recent weeks as the trigger for their campaign. They also aimed to counter Syrian army troop buildups near the frontlines.
In retaliation, Russian warplanes conducted 26 airstrikes targeting rebel positions near Atarib, with Syrian forces shelling Atarib, Darat Izza, and nearby villages with hundreds of rockets and artillery shells. The attacks included the use of vacuum missiles, escalating the conflict further.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, designated as a terrorist organisation by the U.S., competes with Turkish-backed opposition factions that control other parts of Syria&rsquo;s northwest along the Turkish border. Despite ongoing tensions, HTS continues to dominate rebel operations in the region.
The latest escalation underscores the fragile nature of the 2020 ceasefire and the potential for renewed hostilities in Syria&rsquo;s long-running civil war.

Map stating which area is now under control of rebels

Rebels seize key territories in first advance since 2020 ceasefire

Syrian Rebels Launch Major Offensive in Northern Syria

Rebels seize key territories in first advance since 2020 ceasefire

November 28, 2024 | 16:17 IST