Syrian government forces have announced a tactical retreat in the northeast Syrian city of Aleppo, as they reel from a surprise offensive launched by Sunni Islamist terrorists.
HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and Russia. The Salafist Sunni Islamic faction formed from Jabhat al-Nusra, which itself began as a wing of al-Qaeda in Syria.
“The large numbers of terrorists and the multiple fronts of engagement prompted our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at reinforcing defense lines to absorb the attack, protect the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counter-offensive,” the translated Nov. 30 statement of the Syrian Defense Ministry reads.
The Syrian government said the HTS-led offensive in Aleppo had intensified on Nov. 30, but government forces are continuing to put up fierce resistance. Still, the Syrian government acknowledged that dozens of government troops have been killed and wounded in the attack on Aleppo.
While the HTS-led forces are still spreading across Aleppo, the Syrian government forces said they’ve conducted intense strikes that have prevented the terrorists from being able to effectively entrench themselves within the city.
Meanwhile, the Syrian government said more of its forces are arriving to join in the coming counteroffensive in Aleppo.
It remains to be seen when this counteroffensive will emerge.
The recent attack on Aleppo is part of Syria’s ongoing civil war—a multi-sided conflict that has continued since 2011. The offensive marks a setback for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces had won control of the city in 2016 after a lengthy stalemate.
Russian forces, which have assisted Assad’s forces throughout the war, have reportedly conducted strikes to help stem the offensive across Aleppo.
