The United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom "urge de-escalation" and demand a "Syrian-led political solution"
With the help of Russia and Iran, official troops are trying to halt the advance of Islamist militias that control areas of Idlib province and the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia.
Anti-government troops in northern Syria.
As Syrian government forces battled on several fronts Sunday against jihadist rebels in one of the most violent episodes in years, the United States said in a statement it was "closely monitoring developments in Syria."
In a joint message with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, Washington urged "de-escalation by all parties" and called for the protection of civilians. "The current escalation only underscores the urgent need for a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict," it stated, referencing the 2015 United Nations resolution (UNSCR 2254), which called for the development of a peace process.
Very different were the words of President Bashar al-Assad, who assured he would resort to force to quell the insurgency. “terrorism only understands the language of force, and that is the language which we will break it and eliminate it with, whoever its supporters and sponsors are,” he said to the local press and reported by AFP.
At the same time, Russian and Syrian jets bombed areas in the northwest dominated by jihadist rebels. The airstrikes were mainly concentrated in Idlib, a key rebel-held city.
The city of Aleppo continues to be under the control of the militia alliance led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). One of the country's largest cities, located some 360 kilometers from the capital Damascus by road, is the first time the government has lost control of it since the war began in 2011. The surprise assault began on Wednesday, although the rebels reportedly seized dozens of other towns in their advance toward Aleppo. It was only days later left in jihadist hands, minus some areas controlled by the Kurds, according to an NGO working there.
HTS is a Sunni Islamist group designated as a terrorist organization by the first Trump administration in 2018. It is also considered by Washington to be part of al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate. In addition to Aleppo and parts of Idlib province, they control the city of Hama in the center of the country, another front fighting, and the port city of Latakia, according to AFP.
Another front has reportedly formed 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Aleppo in the town of Tal Rifat. The conflict also has participation in favor of the government of Iran, whose foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, met with Asad in Damascus in recent hours.
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