Hundreds of fighters from Iranian-backed Iraqi militia groups crossed into Syria overnight to reinforce government forces battling rebels who recently captured parts of Aleppo, according to Syrian and Iraqi military sources on Monday.
At least 300 fighters, primarily from the Badr and Nujabaa groups, used remote dirt roads late Sunday to avoid official border crossings and potential airstrikes, Iraqi security sources reported. “These are fresh reinforcements being sent to aid our comrades on the front lines in the north,” a senior Syrian military source told AP, describing how the fighters crossed in small groups to avoid detection.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi affirmed Tehran’s support, stating that while Syria’s military could handle the rebels, “resistance groups will help and Iran will provide any support needed.” The deployment highlights Iran’s continued influence in Syria through its constellation of regional militia allies, which have proven crucial to President Bashar al-Assad’s survival since the 2011 uprising.
The reinforcements arrive as Syrian and Russian warplanes intensify attacks on rebel-held areas in the northwest, including a strike on a displaced persons camp that killed seven people, five of them children, according to the White Helmets rescue organization.
The sudden rebel offensive has caught regional powers off guard, destabilizing a conflict that had remained relatively static since 2020. Russia, despite its focus on Ukraine since 2022, maintains an air base in northern Syria, while Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a key Iranian ally, has been primarily engaged in hostilities with Israel since the Gaza conflict began.
In Turkey, Syrian opposition leader Hadi al-Bahra stated the rebels aim to force Assad into accepting a political transition. “We are ready to start negotiating tomorrow,” Bahra announced at a press conference.
The escalation risks further destabilizing a region already strained by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. The rebel coalition includes Turkey-backed mainstream groups and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, while Kurdish forces maintain control of northeastern territories despite Turkish opposition.
The Kremlin confirmed it continues to support Assad while analyzing the situation, following reports that Moscow had dismissed its Syria commander. Syrian officials said government and Russian aircraft are targeting rebel positions in Aleppo’s eastern countryside as they work to secure recently recaptured towns north of Hama.
