Iran has sent militia groups into Syria to prop up Bashar al-Assad, as China also gave its backing to the regime.
At least 300 fighters crossed from Iraq as Tehran said it would provide full support to the beleaguered dictator after rebel groups seized the city of Aleppo and charged south toward Hama and Damascus.
Fighters crossed from outposts in Iraq late on Sunday using a dirt road to avoid the official border crossing, security sources said.
On Monday, Russia again joined Syrian regime forces in bombing rebel-held cities, killing at least 25 people.
Meanwhile, China said it “supports Syria’s efforts to maintain national security and stability” in its first comments on the reignited civil war. It is unlikely to lend military support however.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist group, also refused to deploy units to Syria to help Assad, after being badly mauled by Israel’s air and land campaign in Lebanon.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Vladimir Putin had held a phone call with Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, about the renewed fighting in Syria, and made his first public statement since rebels captured Aleppo last week.
“Unconditional support was expressed for the actions of the legitimate authorities of Syria to restore constitutional order and to restore the political, economic and social stability of the Syrian state.” the Kremlin said.
Russia has backed Syria since intervening in the civil war in 2015. It has also become a firm ally of Iran during its war in Ukraine, relying on Iranian missiles and drones to supply its forces on the front line. It has also grown closer to China.
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Syrian government troops were on Monday reported to be building a fortified defensive line in northern Hama in an attempt to stall an offensive that has reignited the Syrian civil war after years of stagnant front lines.
The militiamen were expected to support the Syrian army’s push back against the insurgents.
The Assad regime has for years been heavily reliant on support from Iran and Russia to maintain its grip on power, after 2011 pro-democracy protests escalated into a brutal civil war.
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Tehran has poured in billions of dollars, as well as troops, arms, equipment and advisers to keep Assad in government.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said on Monday that Syria’s military was capable of confronting the rebels but, “resistance groups will help and Iran will provide any support needed”.
Washington and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly been discussing driving a wedge into the Tehran-Damascus alliance by lifting sanctions on Assad if he peels himself away from Iran and cuts off weapons routes to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
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Hezbollah has been a key bulwark for Assad, having fought for his regime since 2012.
However, the group’s leadership and infrastructure have been hammered by an intense Israeli assault in southern Lebanon over recent weeks, and it is not currently planning to send troops to help Assad.
Hezbollah forces fought for years in Syria, before pulling back as the group came under attack from Israel in October.
The group’s fighters had not yet been asked by Assad to intervene, but were not ready to send forces because of the war in Lebanon, sources said.
Assad said the offensive led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group and its allies was an attempt to redraw the map of the region, in remarks during a call with Iran on Monday.
A statement from the government said Assad had told Iran: “The terrorist escalation reflects the far-reaching goals of dividing the region and fragmenting the countries in it and redraw the map in line with the objectives of the United States and the West.”
Inside rebel-held territory, Russia continued air strikes and was accused of hitting five hospitals and three schools within Aleppo and Idlib.
The speed of Syrian regime troop withdrawal had shocked Aleppo’s inhabitants, residents told the Telegraph, who now face aerial bombardment and an uncertain future under rebel control.
Commanders of the HTS group, which had its roots with al-Qaeda before turning on the extremists, have tried to assure Aleppo’s minorities that they will be safe. The rebels have released a statement urging Aleppo’s Kurds not to flee the city and declaring that “diversity is a strength”.
A Syrian Christian from inside Aleppo, who gave his name as George, said: “After the rebels took control, we thought we would be in danger, but that did not happen.
“However, we were very surprised by the withdrawal of the Syrian army and its allies. I think that was agreed upon by the major countries. We are in our homes and praying to be safe.
“Some neighbourhoods were subjected to air strikes and that must stop immediately. There are civilians and they should not be bombed.”
Mohammad Malah, another resident, said: “Suddenly, the Syrian army and its allies withdrew. We thought that they would resist more, but that did not happen. So far, we are fine, but the situation is very complicated and we do not know what to do or what will happen in the future.”
Dr Abu Aboida, another Aleppo resident, said the rebel forces who had captured the city had treated residents well.
He said: “We don’t feel afraid of the anti-government military, but we are afraid of the air strikes. The strikes are attacking everywhere. Yesterday, we had five or six strikes and a lot of civilian people died.”
