Syria: raids and battles in Aleppo, Idlib, Turks and Russians are discussing Moscow

Recent hours witnessed rapid field and political developments in Syria, while Russian raids continued in areas of the western countryside of Aleppo, Idlib witnessed fierce battles between the forces of the regime and the opposition, at a time when Moscow is witnessing Russian-Turkish talks on reducing escalation.

In the western countryside of Aleppo, the Al-Jazeera correspondent reported the renewal of Russian raids on Jericho and Jabal Al-Arbaeen, and other areas, amid reports that two hospitals left their homes after being bombed.

In turn, the Syrian regime forces announced today, Monday, that they have imposed full control on dozens of towns in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo, and said they will continue their campaign to eliminate "the remaining terrorist organizations wherever they are found."

With the support of intense Russian air strikes, regime forces have been fighting since the beginning of the year to retake Aleppo countryside and parts of the neighboring Idlib governorate, where the last opposition strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad are located.

Hospital staff said that air strikes carried out by the regime forces hit the town of Darat Azza near the Turkish border, about 30 kilometers north of Aleppo, which resulted in the injury of a number of civilians and forced two hospitals to close.

The Turkish Anatolia Agency reported that the Russian fighters targeted the Ferdous and Kanana hospitals in Darat Azza, which led to their exit from service and the injury of a guard.

Idlib battles
In Idlib, clashes continue between the armed opposition and the regime-backed forces, Russia and Iran, as the regime expands its control over the past few days.

With the support of Russia, the regime forces have controlled 16 residential areas in the past 24 hours, including Andan, Huritan, Shuwaynah, Kafr Hamra, Al-Zahraa Association, Bayanoun, Hayyan, Tal Maseibin, Babis, Maarat Al-Atiq, Al-Hadi Society, Bishkaten, Al-Houta, Lemon, Malah and Kafr Dael.

In this way, the Syrian regime will have strengthened its control of the international M5 road between Aleppo and the capital, Damascus.

Turkish reinforcements
This comes at a time when Turkish forces have reinforced their positions inside the Syrian border, and Turkish artillery has targeted positions of the regime forces and Kurdish units in the city of Tal Refaat, and the towns of Meng and Marnaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo.

Al-Jazeera correspondent quoted Turkish military sources as saying that a convoy, consisting of about 150 vehicles loaded with artillery, tanks, equipment and personnel carriers, entered this morning Monday from the Turkish Rehanli border crossing point towards the Syrian territories through the Syrian Bab Al-Hawa crossing.

According to the sources, the convoy was directed to Turkish observation points deployed in Idlib countryside to enhance its capabilities in anticipation of any attacks that might be incurred by the Syrian regime forces.

The frameworks of the Turkish military reinforcements have continued since the aggravation of the military situation in Idlib, with the Turkish forces being attacked by the Syrian regime, which killed and wounded a number of Turkish soldiers.

Moscow talks
These developments come at a time when Russian and Turkish military experts are meeting in Moscow to discuss reducing the escalation, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who confirmed a mutual understanding by Russian and Turkish military personnel of the situation in Idlib, Syria.

Lavrov, at a press conference in Munich, expressed his hope that the two sides will be able to present ideas that reduce tension in Idlib.

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia reached an agreement to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, in which hostilities are prohibited.

Since that date, more than 1,800 civilians have been killed in attacks by the Syrian regime and Russian forces, in violation of both the 2018 ceasefire agreement and another that began implementation on January 12.

More than 1.7 million Syrians have been displaced to areas close to the Turkish border to avoid intense attacks over the past year.