WASHINGTON – The United States says Syrian leader Bashar Assad lost control of Aleppo because of his reliance on Russia and Iran.
Syria’s “reliance on Russia and Iran,” along with its refusal to move forward with a 2015 peace process outlined by the UN Security Council, “created the conditions now unfolding,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett says in a statement.
He adds: “At the same time, the United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization.”
The Syrian army says dozens of its soldiers were killed in the attack on the city of Aleppo, while Russia’s Defense Ministery reportedly said its air force carried out strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the country’s army.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.