Syria’s conflict is heating up once more

Since March 2020, Syria’s conflict lines have been frozen, as Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United States held together a series of ceasefires and security understandings. That all changed this week, when a broad coalition of armed opposition groups launched a surprise and daring offensive west of Aleppo city.

As ‘Operation Deter Aggression’ was launched on Wednesday morning, the goal was to expand opposition control of Aleppo’s western countryside, from where Syrian regime forces had been indiscriminately shelling civilian areas for years. Many would have assumed that goal was ambitious, but within three days, more than 80 villages and towns had been captured. Syrian regime forces and their Iranian proxy militia allies were collapsing, as defensive positions repeatedly fell and troops fled. By Friday night, opposition fighters had advanced into Aleppo’s city centre, declaring the city under their control.

As the advance into Aleppo played out, opposition forces in neighboring Idlib province launched a second offensive, capturing the strategic town of Saraqeb, which lies on Syria’s primary north-south M5 highway, cutting Aleppo off from Damascus.