Bombing of insurgents intensifies
Russian-backed militia hit Syrian rebel strongholds
THE SYRIAN army and allied militia carried out ground attacks on insurgent positions in Syria yesterday backed by Russian airstrikes, in what appeared to be their first major co-ordinated assault since Moscow intervened last week, a monitor said.
Russia’s airstrikes hit northern parts of Hama province and nearby areas in Idlib province, targeting towns close to the main north-south highway that runs through major cities in western Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Ground attacks using heavy surface-to-surface missile bombardments targeted at least four insurgent positions in the area and there were heavy clashes on the ground, the head of the Observatory, Rami Abdulrahman, said.
Although yesterday’s combined assault marked a military escalation, it wasn’t immediately clear whether there would be rapid gains in a conflict that has already dragged on more than four years.
“There is no information yet of (government) advances on the ground, but the airstrikes have hit vehicles and insurgent bases,” Abdulrahman said.
A regional source familiar with the military situation in Syria said forces, including Hezbollah fighters, were taking part in the ground attack against four rebel-held areas.
Reuters reported last week that allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, including Iranians, were preparing a ground attack in Syria, aimed at recapturing territory lost by the government to rebels in rapid advances this year.
Abdulrahman, who tracks the conflict using sources in Syria, said the ground assault was being carried out by “regime forces” and their allies, with no immediate sign of Russian involvement on the ground.
Syrian state media and regional pro-government channels made no mention of new Russ- ian strikes or the ground attacks yesterday.
Fighters on the ground have said the Russian campaign is focusing on shoring up Assad rather than combating hardliners. Most of Idlib province is held by an insurgent alliance.