The Syrian regime has hinted at its intention to launch a new phase of military escalation in the countryside of Idlib and Aleppo, banking on the outcomes of talks with Turkey in Astana.
According to the al-Watan news agency, the convoys brought by Syrian regime forces to the countryside of Aleppo yesterday are connected to the Astana meetings.
The report quoted military sources who stated that “the arrival of military reinforcements coincides with the ongoing escalation and hostilities in the de-escalation zone.”
It further claimed that the purpose of these reinforcements “is to combat and prevent the military factions from expanding their control in the northern Aleppo countryside.”
The northern regions are currently experiencing a significant escalation on the ground, as the Turkish army intensifies its bombardment of SDF positions, resulting in the death of one Russian soldier and the injury of four others.
Al-Watan’s report also suggests that a scenario similar to the regime’s recapture of the M5 road is likely to unfold in the northern regions of Syria, as the “restoration of these areas to Assad’s forces has become inevitable.”
