Syrian Army Pulls Back Troops from Aleppo to Strategize Counteroffensive

The recent surprise attack against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government represents the most intense fighting in northwestern Syria since 2020. That year, a Russia-Turkey brokered agreement sought to de-escalate tensions, enabling Syrian government forces to reclaim territories previously held by opposition groups.

In response to this latest rebel offensive, the Syrian Interim Government (SIG)—the provisional administrative authority governing parts of northern Syria outside Assad’s control—announced on Saturday the launch of a new military campaign. This operation aims to “liberate the areas seized by the Assad regime and the PKK/PYD terrorist militias.”

“The progress made today is a strategic milestone on the path toward our ultimate objective: freeing all Syrian land from the clutches of the regime and the terrorist and separatist militias seeking to divide our country and exploit its resources,” declared the SIG in a statement.