Syrian rebels launch large-scale attack on government forces in Aleppo province

Syrian armed groups have launched a large-scale attack on areas controlled by government forces, setting off fierce clashes for a second day and seizing territory in Western Aleppo, government and opposition factions said Thursday.

Syria’s armed forces said Thursday the offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which controls much of northwest Syria and is a violation of a de-escalation agreement. It said the attacks are ongoing and have targeted a number of villages and military bases.

“Our forces are confronting the terrorist organizations with different power and in collaboration with friendly forces to ensure the situation returns to how it was," the army statement said.

Opposition factions launched the offensive early Wednesday and claimed in a series of statements on social media that they have wrestled control of over 15 villages from government forces, capturing a military base and hardware, and taking a number of soldiers hostage. The Associated Press could not independently verify those claims.

The opposition fighters said their offensive will allow the return of thousands of displaced people who were forced to flee government bombardment in recent weeks.

The offensive follows weeks of simmering violence in the area, where activists said government and allied Russian forces have stepped up their bombardment of parts of the last remaining stronghold of the opposition.

It also comes as Iran-linked groups, who had backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battle at home.

Israel and Hezbollah, the lead group in the Iran-backed alliance, have been locked in a war that escalated since September. A cease-fire was announced Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days.

Formerly known as the Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of al-Qaida, HTS later changed its name several times and distanced itself from al-Qaida.

Russia, along with Iran, backed Syrian government forces soon after the anti-government protests in 2011 turned into a war. Turkey has backed an array of opposition forces and established military presence in parts of northwestern Syria. Meanwhile, the United States has supported Syrian Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State militants largely in the east of the country.

Turkey said Thursday it was closely monitoring the offensive launched by the opposition groups in northern Syria. Unnamed defense ministry officials quoted in the state-run Anadolu Agency said Thursday the Turkish military had taken “all kinds of measures” to protect its troops in Syria.