While Iran mainly sees the handwriting of the US and Israel in the lightning offensive of the Islamic rebels in Syria, the Russian leadership accuses Ukraine of being responsible for the escalation of the civil war in the country. There is indeed evidence of Ukrainian involvement.
There is information that the Ukrainian secret service is working with the terrorists and that Kiev is both supplying drones and providing operating instructions for them, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. On Sunday, the English-language online portal “Kyiv Post” reported that Ukrainian military intelligence was involved in training Islamist rebels in Syria.
According to Zakharova, Syria is not the only country that Ukraine is currently interfering with. Previously, Kiev had caused unrest in African countries, she claimed. In recent months, there have been indications that Ukrainian special forces are hunting mercenaries from the Wagner group.
In recent days, Syrian rebels have taken control of larger parts of the civil war-affected country in a surprisingly major offensive, including Syria’s second-largest city, Aleppo. Zakharova reiterated Moscow’s continued support for ruler Bashar al-Assad. Russia had already kept him in power through its intervention in 2015. According to its own statements, the Russian air force is now again carrying out intensive attacks on targets in Syria, including the city of Aleppo.
The rebel advance has been stopped for the time being
The massive airstrikes have likely halted the rebel advance on Hama, Syria’s fourth largest city, for the time being. Both sides to the conflict said the insurgents had been pushed back from the outskirts of the strategically important city. “We were forced to withdraw by heavy enemy bombardments from the air,” said one of the rebel commanders, Abu al-Qaqaa.
Conquering Hamas would significantly increase pressure on Syrian President Assad. Given the recent rapid advance of the insurgents, Iran, which is an ally of Assad, says it is considering sending troops if requested.
More than 500 people have been killed in fighting
More than 570 people have now been killed in the recent fighting, including nearly 100 civilians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is monitoring the war with a network of local informants.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
