ALBAWABA - Following the surprise offensive by the opposition forces in Syria, Syrian army forces announced imposing a security cordon on the city of Hama to prevent the advancement of opposition fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The Syrian army said it had repositioned its forces across multiple points on the perimeters of the Syrian city of Hama, imposing a tight security cordon to prevent any attempted infiltration or possible entry by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and armed factions.
On the fourth day of what is called the "Deterring Aggression" operation, opposition forces took over the northern countryside of Hama, in conjunction with the rapid collapse of the regime forces and the withdrawal of army soldiers from across the city.
In retaliation, Russian and Syrian aircraft launched more attacks on opposition-controlled areas in Aleppo and Idlib. Russia's military ministry reported that its airstrikes killed 300 rebel fighters in a 24-hour period.
The United States denied any involvement in the opposition's recent offensive, calling it an unforeseen development, while Turkey condemned attacks on civilians in Idlib. As the battle in Syria worsens, Aleppo remains at the center of the conflict.
In Aleppo, heavy battles raged between Syrian government forces, Iranian-backed militias in the northern suburbs, and Kurdish-led organizations in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods.
In order to prepare for counteroffensives, the Syrian Ministry of Defense admitted withdrawal from some sites while claiming others.
