On Thursday, a war monitor reported that clashes between the Syrian army and jihadists resulted in over 130 combatant deaths in the worst fighting in northwest Syria in years. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicated that the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions launched a surprise attack on the Syrian army in the northern province of Aleppo on Wednesday.
The reported toll includes 132 fatalities, comprised of 65 fighters from HTS, 18 from allied factions, and 49 members of regime forces. These battles have been ongoing for approximately 24 hours. The clashes occurred in an area that spans Idlib and Aleppo provinces, located less than 10 kilometers (six miles) southwest of the outskirts of Aleppo city.
HTS, which is led by Al-Qaeda’s former Syria branch, controls significant portions of the northwest Idlib area, as well as parts of neighboring Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces. An Associated Press (AFP) correspondent noted that heavy, uninterrupted clashes have been taking place east of the city of Idlib since Wednesday morning, accompanied by airstrikes.
A military statement from the Syrian army, reported by the state news agency SANA, described the situation as “armed terrorist organisations” under the so-called ‘Nusra terrorist front’ launching a large-scale attack on Wednesday morning. The army claimed the attack involved “medium and heavy weapons” targeting civilian villages and military sites, and stated that they were confronting the ongoing attack with the help of “friendly forces,” inflicting severe losses on the attacking groups, though no army losses were reported.
In a related note, the Observatory reported that HTS successfully advanced in Idlib province, taking control of Dadikh, Kafr Batikh, and Sheikh Ali following heavy clashes with regime forces, which were reportedly under Russian air cover. These villages are strategically important due to their proximity to the M5 international highway, and the factions are also attempting to cut the Aleppo-Damascus international highway.
The Observatory also noted an increase in Russian airstrikes targeting the vicinity of Sarmin and other areas in Idlib province, along with heavy artillery shelling and rocket fire. The Syrian conflict began in 2011 when President Bashar al-Assad repressed anti-government protests, leading to a multi-faceted conflict that has drawn in foreign armies and jihadists. The conflict has resulted in over 500,000 deaths, displaced millions, and severely damaged the country’s infrastructure.
The Idlib region remains subject to a ceasefire, brokered by Turkey and Russia, which was established following a Syrian government offensive in March 2020, although this ceasefire has been repeatedly violated yet continues to hold largely in place.
