Damascus [Syria], December 2: Rebel forces in northwestern Syria launched a major offensive, capturing Aleppo and advancing toward Hama, marking one of the most dramatic escalations in the conflict in recent years, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.
The development has triggered intensified counterattacks and airstrikes by Syrian and Russian forces, escalating violence in opposition-held Idlib and Aleppo while raising concerns over civilian safety and displacement. This southern push marks the fifth day of the surprise rebel assault.
Syrian government forces, led by President Bashar al-Assad, have been bolstering defenses in northern Hama, Al Jazeera reported, citing state news agency SANA. The agency stated that government troops had successfully repelled opposition fighters in the region and were resupplying forces with heavy equipment and rocket launchers.
United Nations Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, urged all parties in the conflict to pursue a political resolution immediately, warning that the escalating violence posed serious risks to civilians and could have broader regional and international implications.
"The latest developments pose severe risks to civilians and have serious implications for regional and international peace and security," he said.
This escalation marks one of the most significant shifts in the Syrian conflict in recent years. Since 2020, front lines have largely remained unchanged, with rebel groups confined mainly to a small part of Idlib province. However, on Friday, opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) entered Aleppo, forcing government troops to withdraw from the strategically important city of over two million people, Al Jazeera's report added.
The rebels have since captured several key areas, including the town of Khansir, Aleppo Industrial City, the military academy, and the field artillery college.
HTS, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front and previously affiliated with al-Qaeda, has distanced itself from the group and emerged as the strongest opposition faction in northwestern Syria. It remains classified as a "terrorist" organization by the United States, Syria, and Russia, Al Jazeera reported.
In his first public comments since the offensive began, President Assad vowed to continue defending Syria's "stability and territorial integrity" against what he termed terrorists and their supporters, asserting that Syria would overcome the rebel attacks regardless of their intensity.
According to Al Jazeera, rebel forces are now on the outskirts of Hama and engaged in clashes with Syrian government troops. Control of villages and towns in the region remains fluid, with both sides alternately making gains.
The Syrian government reported that its airstrikes targeted rebel strongholds and weapon depots. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, stated that Russian airstrikes hit displacement camps on Sunday, killing eight civilians and injuring 50 others.
The Syrian Civil Defence, operating in opposition-held areas, also reported multiple attacks on Aleppo, including one on Aleppo University Hospital, though the number of casualties remains unclear.
The ongoing conflict has exacerbated one of the largest displacement crises in the world, with thousands more people reportedly displaced by the recent fighting.
Source: Times of Oman