Dozens of soldiers and rebel fighters were killed in a series of violent clashes in northern Aleppo, where the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and its allies launched a major assault on Syrian military positions. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), nearly 100 combatants from both sides lost their lives in the fighting on Wednesday.
HTS, which controls much of northwestern Syria, and its allied forces overran at least 10 areas previously held by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military. The attack resulted in the deaths of 44 HTS fighters, 16 allied militia members, and 37 regime soldiers, including at least four officers. Additionally, five Syrian soldiers were captured, and the attacking groups seized weapon depots, armored vehicles, and heavy machinery.
The violence also claimed civilian lives, including children, as the Syrian army launched hundreds of shells and missiles targeting both military and civilian positions.
HTS, labeled a “terrorist organization” by the U.S., has distanced itself from al-Qaeda in recent years and now positions itself as a more locally focused rebel group. With its rise as the dominant rebel force in northwestern Syria, it continues to challenge Assad’s regime, which has received substantial backing from Russia since 2015.
NEWS SOURCES
ARY NEWS, DAWN NEWS, CNN, BBC NEWS, EXPRESS NEWS
