On Saturday, Russian and Syrian jets launched airstrikes on insurgents who had captured a suburb of Aleppo the day before. According to Syrian military sources, the bombing targeted not only the rebel-held suburb but also several towns and villages that had fallen to the rebels during a surprise assault from their opposition enclave to the city.
Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, has pledged to send additional military support to help President Bashar al-Assad repel the rebels. New military hardware is expected to arrive within the next 72 hours, according to military sources.
Since 2015, Russia has supported Assad’s forces, intervening in the Syrian Civil War to fight against insurgents. It maintains an airbase and naval facility in Syria, marking its largest military presence in the Middle East since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia views the rebel offensive as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty. He emphasized that Russia supports the Syrian government’s efforts to regain control of the area and restore constitutional order quickly.
