**Deadly Offensive in Syria Sparks Fears of Renewed Civil War**

Syrian opposition fighters have launched their most significant offensive against government forces in years, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of a civil war that had largely stagnated.

The large-scale operation kicked off on Wednesday in Aleppo Province, located in northwestern Syria. By Thursday, rebel forces had made notable progress, seizing several villages, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group. This offensive is aimed at countering attacks from government troops and their Iran-backed militia allies, according to a rebel commander.

The intense clashes over the past two days have resulted in over 150 combatant casualties on both sides. The Observatory reported nearly 100 rebel fighters and 54 regime soldiers dead. These figures are based on information collected from a wide network of activists and other sources within Syria and have yet to be independently verified.

In addition to the combatant fatalities, Syrian and Russian airstrikes have claimed the lives of more than a dozen civilians, according to the White Helmets, a rescue group operating in opposition-held areas. For years, Russia and Iran have been strong supporters of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, assisting in its efforts to counter the rebel forces.

The escalating conflict underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the ever-present potential for renewed violence in the war-torn nation.