Solitudinem fecerunt,
pacem appelunt
Publius Gaius Cornelius Tacitus
Op Deterrence of Aggression - 28 November 2024
The Military Operations Department announced November 28, 2024, the liberation of more than ten sites from strategic villages and towns along the front line in the western Aleppo countryside and the eastern Idlib countryside, to be able to tighten its control over the international road (M4) in the western Aleppo countryside, within the framework of the second day of the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation.
The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces issued a statement regarding Operation Deterrence of Aggression, expressing its deep concern over the ongoing escalation by Syrian regime forces and Iranian-backed militias in northwestern Syria. The statement noted that this escalation, which has increased with the use of drones and heavy artillery, has caused civilian casualties, including children, exacerbated the suffering of the population and led to new waves of displacement.
The statement explained that the military leadership in northern Syria launched field operations to confront these attacks, with the aim of deterring the attacks and ensuring the protection of civilians. The coalition also stressed that these operations seek to provide the appropriate conditions for the safe and voluntary return of the displaced to their villages and towns, which were subjected to displacement due to crimes committed by the regime and sectarian militias supported by Iran.
The Syrian armed forces command said the terrorists are unable to fortify strongholds in the city due to the continuing strikes launched by the Syrian military, the statement also said. The Syrian forces are expecting the arrival of reinforcements and their deployment in all areas of combat operations, the statement added. The terrorist influx and multiple fronts of clashes "prompted the Syrian armed forces to redeploy to strengthen defense lines in order to save the lives of civilians and soldiers and prepare for a counteroffensive."
Despite the fact that the actions of the Russian air force in the rear of the militants inflict significant losses on them, this does not prevent the advance of the forward detachments, advancing in large columns of equipment across open terrain. As a result, the mass flight of the Syrian army was superimposed on the inability of the Russian Aerospace Forces bomber aviation, due to organizational and technical reasons, to inflict fire damage on moving targets. There was simply no resistance from government troops. The amount of weapons and equipment abandoned by the Syrian troops was difficult to calculate even in general terms.
The militants got their hands on T-55 tanks, a BMP-1, a BREM-1, a 152-mm howitzer D-20 and many boxes of ammunition. The most difficult thing in this situation is that Russia will not be able to fully replenish the Syrian army's losses in equipment and weapons in the near future - its priorities are completely different, since they themselves have long been in short supply.
Revolutionary factions under the Command of Military Operations (CMO) coalition launched a significant offensive Wednesday, capturing 32 villages and points in the western Aleppo countryside during the first day of their Repelling the Aggression campaign. The operation, aimed at halting Assad regime-led attacks on civilians and reversing mass displacement, marked a decisive shift in the battle lines of northwestern Syria.
The gains include strategic locations such as the 46th Regiment, Sheikh Aqil, and Qabtan al-Jabal, spanning an area of approximately 245 square kilometers and bringing revolution forces within 5 kilometers of Aleppo City, according to Anadolu Agency. The offensive represents the first major breach of the front lines since the 2020 ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia.
Local sources confirmed the deaths of at least 15 Assad regime officers and soldiers during clashes at key sites, including the 46th Regiment base. A CMO unit specialized in drones, the Shaheen Brigades, announced the destruction of an Assad regime helicopter at Nayrab Airbase that was preparing to launch attacks on the liberated areas, a significant blow to regime air capabilities.
Revealing a critical advancement in their arsenal during the campaign: the deployment of domestically manufactured drones capable of both reconnaissance and precision strikes. The announcement marks a milestone in the technological capabilities of revolutionary forces and a shift in the balance of power in localized engagements.
Assad regime forces, supported by Russian and Iranian militias, escalated bombardments across Idlib and Aleppo, targeting over 16 cities and towns. The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, reported the use of internationally banned cluster munitions, which killed a child, injured 20 civilians – including nine children and six women – and displaced thousands of families overnight.
This campaign came after months of intensified attacks by Assad regime forces and their allies, which displaced over 70,000 people and devastated civilian infrastructure. Revolutionary factions stated that the operation aims to curb ongoing shelling, expand safe zones, and enable displaced families to return home with dignity and security.
As the offensive progresses, the revolution’s ability to consolidate gains and withstand retaliatory strikes will likely shape the dynamics in northwestern Syria. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations have called for international pressure to halt attacks on civilians and ensure aid reaches the newly displaced. The first day of the campaign has shifted the balance on the battlefield, but the cost of continued violence remains steep, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict’s escalating toll.
Humanitarian organizations operating in northwestern Syria have issued urgent warnings as the number of displaced families fleeing relentless attacks by Assad regime forces and their allies has surged dramatically. The escalation, marked by an alarming increase in attacks over the past few months, has forced tens of thousands of civilians to abandon their homes, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis as winter approaches.
The Syria Response Coordinators, an organization monitoring displacement, reported that over 10,728 families – totaling 57,432 individuals – have been displaced from their homes in Idlib and Aleppo. The figures are expected to rise as the relentless bombardment continues across residential areas and camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, highlighted the dire conditions faced by those fleeing the violence. “Hundreds of families continue to flee from the eastern Idlib countryside and western Aleppo countryside as the regime forces and Russia intensify their attacks with airstrikes, artillery, and missiles,” the organization said in a statement. “Our teams are assisting civilians evacuate from the areas under attack and preparing centers to shelter the displaced. The continued attacks are worsening the humanitarian situation and threatening lives, forcing people to leave their homes on the cusp of winter.”
The group emphasized the compounding challenges of falling temperatures and insufficient shelter, warning that displaced families face life-threatening conditions in overcrowded camps that lack essential supplies.
The Office of Humanitarian Action Coordination (HAC) released a statement detailing the scope of the crisis and calling for an immediate, coordinated response. “Amid the ongoing military escalation in northwestern Syria, intense bombardment has caused waves of displacement, resulting in human casualties and extensive damage to properties and infrastructure,” the statement read.
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