Syria, Russia step up strikes amid anti-regime forces advance

The Syrian military and its ally Russia conducted deadly joint air raids on areas under the control of opposition forces on Monday, with the Syrian opposition army continuing its operation in Tel Rifaat.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Russia and Iran, both of which have confirmed they will help his army fight back after Aleppo, the country's second city, fell out of government control amid anti-regime forces' major offensive.

Assad said the opposition-led offensive in the country's north was an attempt to "redraw" the map of the region, in remarks during a call with his Iranian counterpart yesterday.

"The terrorist escalation reflects the far-reaching goals of dividing the region and fragmenting the countries in it and redraw the map in line with the objectives of the United States and the West," Assad said, according to a statement from the Syrian presidency.
"The terrorist escalation reflects the far-reaching goals of dividing the region and fragmenting the countries in it and redraw the map in line with the objectives of the United States and the West," al-Assad said, according to a statement from the Syrian presidency.

Air raids conducted jointly by the Syrian and Russian air forces on several areas of Idlib province in northwest Syria killed 11 civilians yesterday, including five children.

Russia, which first intervened directly in the Syrian war in 2015, said yesterday it continued to support Assad.

"We of course continue to support Bashar al-Assad and we continue contacts at the appropriate levels, we are analyzing the situation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

On the same day, Iran's Foreign Ministry said it would maintain its military support for the Syrian government....