Rebels advance to Syria as army prepares for counterattack

Damascus: Militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied opposition factions are advancing in Syria's central province of Hama after capturing key territories in the northwestern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, as the Syrian Defense Ministry announced the army would soon launch a counterattack.

In a significant development, the HTS, an al-Qaida-linked extremist organisation, seized Aleppo International Airport on Saturday, the first civilian airport to fall under HTS control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday.

The insurgents are now pushing toward Hama, taking control of a number of towns and villages in the northern part of the province amid reports of swift retreats by Syrian government forces, reports Xinhua, citing the Britain-based war monitor.

The rebel advance has prompted significant changes in the region, including the withdrawal of Iranian-backed militias and the repositioning of Kurdish units on the northwestern outskirts of Aleppo, it added.

The Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday evening that claims about the army's withdrawal from Hama are unfounded.

"We confirm that units of our armed forces are stationed at their positions in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama province and are fully prepared to repel any potential terrorist attack," it said.

"The operation to counter the terrorist attack is going on with success and determination and will soon move to counterattack to recover all regions," the ministry said in another statement.

In phone talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani voiced support for Damascus.

The UAE president said the country "stands with the Syrian state and supports it in combating terrorism, extending its sovereignty, unifying its territories, and achieving stability," reports Xinhua, quoting Syria's state news agency SANA.

Al-Sudani said, "Syria's security and stability are closely linked to Iraq's national security" and play a crucial role in regional security and efforts to establish stability in the Middle East, said a statement issued by the Iraqi prime minister's media office.

In their phone call on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, expressed "decisive" support for Syria's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the Arab state's government and army in their fight against "terrorist groups."

Russia's Defence Ministry said its air force had carried out strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the country's army, Russian news agencies reported.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also expressed concerns over the escalation of tensions in a phone call with his Syrian counterpart, Bassam Sabbagh, reiterating Egypt's support for Syrian national institutions and emphasising "Syria's vital role in fostering regional stability and combating terrorism."

On Wednesday, a major rebel offensive rocked the western countryside of Aleppo, the first significant attack since 2016. The assault was carried out by a coalition of rebel groups, mainly the HTS, with the aim of penetrating government-held territories.

On Friday, the rebels swept into parts of Aleppo after they were driven out of the city in 2016. Faced with overwhelming numbers of militants and multiple attacks, the Syrian army announced a temporary redeployment of its forces.