Four civilians, including two university students, were killed in Aleppo on Friday following insurgent shelling of student dormitories, according to Syrian media.
The attack was part of a broader offensive launched on Wednesday by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
The extremist group targeted several towns and villages in northwestern Aleppo, an important city in the war-torn country.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the ongoing clashes in the region have claimed 132 lives in the past 24 hours, including 65 HTS members, 18 allied militants, and 49 regime forces.
The fighting has centered around areas straddling Idlib and Aleppo provinces, with some clashes occurring less than 10 kilometers from Aleppo city.
In response to the offensive, Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out extensive airstrikes on rebel-held territories near the Turkish border.
Some media outlets have reported that HTS is expected to make further advancements in Syria.
However, Russia has stepped in to support the Syrian government, launching airstrikes that have killed dozens of HTS associates. Experts believe that with Russia’s involvement, further advancements by HTS are unlikely.
The strikes, along with heavy ground clashes, mark the most significant escalation since the 2020 ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey.
According to Syrian media, HTS launched a large-scale assault with medium and heavy weapons, targeting both military positions and civilian areas.
Eyewitnesses reported uninterrupted fighting east of Idlib city, including aerial strikes and artillery fire.
Israel also launched attacks at several locations leaving across of Syrian forces dead.
The renewed fighting underscores the fragility of the ceasefire and the volatility of northwest Syria.
HTS supporters globally accuse the Syrian regime and pro-Iran forces of committing atrocities against civilians in Syria, a claim the government denies. In response, the Syrian government accuses extremist groups, including ISIS and HTS, of being responsible for such crimes.
HTS, which controls significant portions of Idlib and parts of Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces, has faced widespread accusations of human rights violations, including rape, torture, and arbitrary detentions, particularly against civilians in areas under its control.
The group has also been accused of targeting minorities, further complicating efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to Syria’s prolonged and devastating civil war.