Thu Nov 28 03:56:01 UTC 2024: ## Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham Seizes Weapons Depots in Major Offensive Against Syrian Army
**Aleppo, Syria** – Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a powerful rebel group in northwestern Syria, launched a major offensive against Syrian government forces in northern Aleppo province, seizing weapons depots, armored vehicles, and inflicting heavy casualties. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported at least 90 fighters and soldiers killed in Wednesday’s clashes, with 44 HTS fighters and 16 allied rebels among the dead. The Syrian government reported far fewer losses, without specifying details.
HTS fighters advanced approximately 10 kilometers from the outskirts of Aleppo, nearing the Shia towns of Nubl and Zahra, where Iran-backed Hezbollah operates. The al-Nayrab airport, east of Aleppo, which houses pro-Iranian outposts, also came under attack. The offensive, according to sources, was a response to intensified Russian and Syrian airstrikes on civilian areas in southern Idlib and a preemptive measure against a suspected Syrian army buildup.
The SOHR reported that the Syrian army retaliated with hundreds of shells and missiles, resulting in civilian casualties. Hundreds of families fled towards the Turkish border, seeking safety. While official Syrian state media remained silent on the scale of the fighting, pro-government websites claimed the army had repelled the HTS attacks and inflicted significant losses.
The capture of weapons depots and armored vehicles represents a significant blow to the Syrian army. The offensive highlights the ongoing instability in the region and HTS’s continuing power as a major player in the Syrian civil war. The fighting has raised concerns about escalating violence and further displacement of civilians in a region already ravaged by years of conflict.
First Piper 