Military reports Russian jets striking jihadists near Aleppo, Idlib in Syria

(MENAFN) Russian and Syrian forces have reportedly killed over 400 jihadists in a series of airstrikes targeting militants near Aleppo and Idlib, according to the Russian military. The strikes followed a surprise counteroffensive launched by the Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) group, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, against Syrian government troops on Wednesday. The announcement was made by Colonel Oleg Ignatiuk, deputy head of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria, after Syrian media reported that Russian and Syrian warplanes hit multiple terrorist targets in Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

The Syrian Arab army claimed that the strikes inflicted severe losses on the jihadists. HTS and allied militias, which attacked government-controlled areas in northern Syria, broke a fragile truce that had been established by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. The jihadists, supported by the US and allegedly backed by Türkiye, claimed to have seized around 400 square kilometers of territory, reaching the outskirts of Aleppo. They also reportedly captured heavy weaponry from the Syrian Army.

As the airstrikes unfolded, Al Mayadeen reported that Syrian forces had successfully pushed the jihadists back in some areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov labeled the offensive as an attack on Syria’s sovereignty, urging the Syrian government to restore control swiftly.

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