Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Syrian army announced it had to redeploy in preparation for a “counteroffensive” on the Aleppo and Idlib fronts after intense battles with "terrorist organizations."

"In recent days, terrorist armed groups linked to Jabhat al-Nusra [al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate], supported by thousands of foreign terrorists, heavy weaponry, and numerous drones, launched a large-scale attack on the Aleppo and Idlib fronts from multiple axes,” the army stated, confirming that its forces fought "fierce" battles across a 100-kilometer front to halt these groups' advance.

The army acknowledged the loss of dozens of soldiers and injuries to others during the clashes, explaining that the large number of opposing forces and multiple fronts led to a redeployment aimed at “strengthening defense lines, protecting civilians and soldiers, and preparing for a counteroffensive.”

Moreover, the army noted that opposition groups, reinforced by a steady influx of fighters from the northern border and increased military support, had recently entered large parts of Aleppo's neighborhoods. However, it maintained that the groups had not established strongholds due to "intense and focused strikes by our forces, with military reinforcements being deployed across combat axes in preparation for the counteroffensive."

The army confirmed that this measure is “temporary,” vowing to use “all possible means” to ensure the safety and security of the people in Aleppo. “We will continue our operations and national duty to confront terrorist organizations, expel them, and restore state and institutional control over the entire city and its countryside,” it concluded.