Democracy Dies in Darkness

Syrian forces regroup with help from Iran, Russia after shock rebel advance

Russia and Iran have offered military and diplomatic support to the Syrian government as it tries to stanch a major rebel advance.

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Medics inspect the damaged Ibn Sina Hospital after a Russian airstrike in Idlib, Syria, on Monday. (Mohammed Al Rifai/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
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Russia launched airstrikes in support of the Syrian army Monday in an effort to stanch a major rebel advance that surprised and overwhelmed the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad late last week.

After initially withdrawing from some areas, Syrian government forces appeared to be regrouping to counterattack Monday. The Syrian army said its warplanes also carried out airstrikes against the rebel forces that are posing the most significant challenge to Assad’s rule in more than a decade. And in the background, Iranian officials launched a diplomatic blitz to shore up the Assad regime.