Mon Dec 02 06:51:22 UTC 2024: ## Syria: Airstrikes Kill Dozens, Rebels Seize Key Territory in Aleppo Offensive

**AMMAN, December 2, 2024** – At least 25 people, including 10 children, were killed in air strikes across northwestern Syria on Sunday, according to the White Helmets, a Syrian opposition rescue service. The strikes, attributed to Syrian government and Russian forces, targeted the rebel-held city of Idlib and surrounding areas, causing widespread devastation and raising the death toll from recent strikes to 56 since November 27th.

The attacks coincided with a significant rebel offensive that saw insurgents, a coalition of Turkey-backed groups and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (designated a terrorist organization by several countries), seize control of Idlib province and push into the city of Aleppo. This marks the boldest rebel assault in years, reversing years of stalemate. Aleppo, a major city, had been firmly under government control since 2016.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to crush the insurgents, declaring that “terrorists only know the language of force,” while the Syrian army reported heavy losses in the Aleppo fighting. Reports from Russian war bloggers suggest that General Sergei Kisel, overseeing Russian forces in Syria, has been dismissed following the rebel advance. The Russian defense ministry has yet to comment.

The swift rebel gains have been attributed by some sources to a lack of manpower within the Syrian Army, exacerbated by increased Israeli strikes on Iranian bases in Syria and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon. Iran, a key Assad ally, has affirmed its support for the Syrian government.

International condemnation followed the attacks, with the US, France, Germany, and Britain issuing a joint statement urging de-escalation and the protection of civilians. Meanwhile, residents of Aleppo described scenes of fear and exodus, with many shops closed and a significant civilian outflow.

The conflict, which has raged since 2011, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of displacements, continues with no end in sight. The rebel advances, despite years of relative stability on the front lines since 2020, mark a significant turning point in the ongoing Syrian civil war.

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