After taking control of northern Syria’s Aleppo, rebels are advancing further. On Sunday, Russian forces launched repeated airstrikes targeting both Assad’s forces and rebel positions.
Strikes caused civilian casualties, with several killed or injured. Iran has reaffirmed its support for President Assad in his fight against the rebels.
Russian forces also carried out airstrikes in Idlib, a rebel-held area, damaging several residential buildings.
White Helmets reported civilian casualties in these attacks. Similar strikes targeted rebel positions in Aleppo, carried out jointly by Assad’s forces and Russian troops.
UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed several deaths in the strikes. Armed rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is now advancing after taking full control of Aleppo, which Assad’s forces had captured from rebels in 2016.
In Damascus, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met President Bashar al-Assad, expressing confidence that Syria’s military would defeat its enemies. He also reiterated Tehran’s commitment to supporting Damascus against the rebels.
Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, conflict had briefly subsided but has reignited as rebels regain strength. Analysts suggest the rebels are now more organized and determined to take more territory from Assad’s control.