Assad al-Zubi to Orient: Russian ground forces prepare for new assault on Aleppo city

Colonel Assad al-Zubi, chief of opposition negotiating delegation, asserted that “the Russians and Iranians are preparing for a third offense on Aleppo after the failure of their previous assaults,” adding that “Russian ground forces began to enter Hmeimim airport and Hama starting from Wednesday night and will continue until Saturday.”

Al-Zubi told Orient News that “there are Iranian forces currently in the International airport of Damascus and the Assad regime wants to relocate them in Zabdeen, Bala and Deir al-Asafeer.”

“There is a new offence on Aleppo led by the Iranians and the Russians by moving Hezbollah in eastern Ghouta area to camouflage the strategic offensive and to push Jaysh al-Fatteh in Zabadani and Madaya to withdraw part of its troops to Kefraya,” he continued.

He denied the existence of a truce on Syrian territory since the very start, stressing that the ceasefire deal was medially and politically decided.

“The Russians and the Americans agreed on the truce because firstly, it serves Russia since a large number of its aircrafts needed to be carried over back to Russia for maintenance. Secondly, the ceasefire serves the Assad regime because it incurred many losses which were losses to the Russian forces and Iranians as well,” he said.

“The truce is a legitimization of the Russian intervention and Moscow used the argument of the Jaysh al-Islam in Ghouta and Ahrar al-Sham in Aleppo to justify its attacks.”