• Abu Mohammad al-Jolani was believed to be present in the central headquarters of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham when it was bombed
• Iranian FM reaffirms support for Damascus
• UN envoy calls for a political solution

DAMASCUS/AMMAN: The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, was killed in a Russian air strike on Sunday, Israeli, Arab and Russian media reported.

Russian media announced that the central headquarters of the HTS in Idlib, where it is believed that its head Abu Mohammad al-Jolani was present, was bombed.

The Russian air force had conducted strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the Syrian army, Russian media quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying.

The strikes targeted rebel concentrations, command posts, depots, and artillery positions in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, it said.

Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib on Sunday in the second day of intensive bombing in northern Syria to push back insurgents who had swept through to the city of Aleppo, Syrian army sources said.

On Saturday, Russian and Syrian jets bombed other towns in Idlib province, which had fallen completely under rebel control in the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020.

Insurgents swept into the city of Aleppo, east of Idlib province, on Friday night, forcing the Syrian army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad’s government in years. The Syrian army said dozens of its soldiers had been killed in the attack.

On Sunday, the Syrian army said it had recaptured several towns that had been overrun in recent days by rebels.

In Aleppo city, streets were mostly empty and many shops were closed on Sunday as scared residents stayed at home. There was still a heavy flow of traffic by civilians who were leaving the city, witnesses and residents said.

Syrian troops were now regrouping and reinforcements were also being sent to help in the counter-attack, Syrian army sources said.

Assad pledges to defeat insurgents

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad vowed on Sunday to defeat insurgents by force, the official Syrian news agency reported.

He made the remarks during a phone call with the acting leader of the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, Badra Ganba, the news agency said.

Iran vows support to Syria

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday to reaffirm Tehran’s firm support for Damascus.

Speaking to reporters before his departure, the Iranian foreign minister said: “Today I am leaving for Damascus to convey the Islamic Republic’s message to the Syrian government. We firmly support the Syrian army and government.”

He said Iran makes no distinction between the Israeli regime and the Takfiri terrorists fighting against the Syrian government.

“We believe that following the Israeli regime’s failures, the enemy is trying to implement its sinister goals of spreading insecurity in the region via these same terrorist groups,” the top Iranian diplomat said.

On Saturday, Iran’s foreign ministry said its consulate in Aleppo had come under attack, but staff members were safe.

Aleppo had been firmly held by the government since a 2016 victory there.

Iran is believed to have sent thousands of fighters to Syria during the Syrian war and alongside Russia with its air power enabling Assad to crush the insurgency and regain most of Syria’s territory.

Turkiye, Iraq discuss situation

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed recent developments in Syria with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, in a phone call on Sunday, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.

Jordan backs Syria

Jordan said on Sunday that developments in Syria were a “cause of concern” and that it rejected any action that threatened its Arab neighbour’s security and stability.

In remarks on state television, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the kingdom backed Syria’s “territorial integrity” and its sovereignty.

UN calls for political solution

The UN envoy for Syria said on Sunday a flare-up of fighting in Syria that has seen the government lose control of Aleppo poses a grave threat to regional and international security.

“I call for urgent and serious political engagement — among Syrian and international stakeholders — to spare bloodshed and focus on a political solution in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2254 agreed in 2015,” Geir Pedersen said in a statement.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2024