The United States said Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad lost control of Aleppo because of his dependence on Russia and Iran.
Syria’s dependence on Russia and Iran, and its refusal to move forward with the peace process outlined by the UN Security Council in 2015, “created the conditions that are now emerging,” said National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett, in a statement.
He added: “At the same time, the United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization.”
The rebel assault, the boldest in years in a civil war where front lines have largely frozen since 2020, has forced the Syrian army to redeploy. It presented the most serious challenge to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in years.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as the Nusra Front, is listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Russia, Türkiye and other countries.
The Syrian army said dozens of its soldiers were killed during an attack on the city of Aleppo, and the Russian defense minister said the Russian air force carried out strikes against Syrian rebels in support of the country’s army. Assad is a close ally of Moscow.
Israeli media reported on Saturday that Israel was watching the advances of jihadist rebels in Syria with great caution, and intelligence chiefs believed the developments could ultimately spell trouble for Israel.
Previously, Cursor wrote that the Syrian militia turned on Israel: Don’t be afraid of us, Iran is worse.
