Syrian Rebels Push Forward in Northwest Offensive Amid Rising Civilian Casualties**

Rebel groups in northwest Syria launch a significant attack, reclaiming territory from government forces while civilian suffering escalates amid renewed hostilities.**

Syrian rebel factions have initiated a sweeping offensive in the northwest region of Syria, capturing territory from President Bashar al-Assad’s military for the first time in several years. The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), along with allied groups, reported advancements in key areas across the Aleppo and Idlib provinces since the assault began on Wednesday, declaring their actions necessary to “deter aggression” from the government.

The Syrian military, meanwhile, characterized the operation as a “large-scale” terrorist assault, claiming to inflict significant losses on the rebel fighters. According to a monitoring group based in the UK, over 180 combatants from both sides have perished in recent clashes, with at least 19 civilians noted among the casualties resulting from Syrian and Russian airstrikes targeting opposition-held zones.

The civil war, which erupted following a brutal crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011, has tragically claimed more than half a million lives. Idlib remains the last bastion for opposition forces, housing over 4 million civilians, many displaced and living under precarious conditions. This territory is primarily under the control of HTS, although Turkish-backed factions aligned with the Syrian National Army (SNA) also maintain a presence in the area.

Despite a ceasefire brokered between Turkey and Russia in 2020, which temporarily restrained government advances into Idlib, sporadic hostilities have persisted. Recently, concerns have been raised by the UN special envoy for the region, Geir Pedersen, about the escalating violence linked to conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, which have reportedly emboldened new attacks in northwest Syria.

HTS claims that the current offensive was launched in response to increased aggression from government forces and Iran-linked militias. As the Syrian government’s attention seems diverted by the broader regional turmoil—including a robust Israeli campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon—rebels have seized new territory. Reports indicate that the rebels successfully captured several key villages and towns, threatening strategic highways in the region and edging closer to the city of Aleppo.

By Thursday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), rebel fighters had gained a strategic foothold by cutting the M5 highway—a vital supply route between Aleppo and Damascus. Fighting has intensified, with loss reports indicating that at least 121 rebels and over 40 government soldiers, including Iranian militia members, have been killed due to the fierce battles.

As hostilities rage, humanitarian conditions for civilians have worsened. The International Rescue Committee estimates nearly 7,000 families have become displaced due to the ongoing conflict, while airstrikes continue to target residential areas. The Syria Civil Defence, known as the White Helmets, has reported multiple civilian deaths resulting from bombardments in communities such as Atareb and Darat Izza.

The UN’s humanitarian officials have expressed deep concern over the escalating toll on civilians, calling for immediate steps to protect non-combatants and ensure humanitarian provisions in the war-torn region.