The Russian Embassy in Damascus urged Russian nationals in Syria on Friday to leave the country using commercial flights, the Russian news agency TASS reported, as cited by Reuters.
The call was issued as the rapid offensive by the jihadist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTC) and other rebel factions in Syria gained ground. Anti-regime armed forces have seized dozens of localities, most of Aleppo (north), and Hama, and are preparing to launch an offensive on Homs, located about 40 kilometers south of Hama.
A key ally of Bashar Assad's regime, Russia had enabled Assad to retake full control of Aleppo in 2016 following a counterattack against opposition groups. Over the past week, with government forces facing ongoing setbacks on the battlefield, Russia has participated in several counteroffensive operations alongside government forces in the provinces of Idlib, Hama, and Aleppo.
Humanitarian convoy reaches Rmeish, Ain Ibl, Dibil despite obstacles
