Fares al-Bayyoush, commander of Fursan al-Haqq FSA brigade, said that Russian airstrikes, now in their third week, have failed to help regime forces make progress against rebel fighters.
“The regime forces’ offensive, backed by air support from the Russian warplanes, aimed at capturing areas in northern rural Hama and southern rural Idlib was met with a stiff resistance from rebel fighters. Regime forces lost over 20 tanks and armored vehicles in addition to dozens of militants in the failed offensive,” Bayyoush added.
“Regime forces diverted the offensive to southern rural Aleppo and attempt to advance on rebel positions as a result. ISIS helped them achieve certain goals by handing over a number of rebel held positions.”
He confirms that Russian air raids targeted a number of medical facilities and residential areas, killing hundreds of civilians and causing an exodus from southern rural Aleppo where around 85,000 people were forced to flee their homes. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
