Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Monday branded an Islamist-led offensive that has captured swathes of territory a bid to redraw the map of the region in line with US interests. "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,

Syrian rebels have launched a surprise offensive against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, a significant escalation in Syria’s civil war, which is raising concerns about a potential wider regional conflict in the Middle East.

Diminished support for the Syrian government from Iran, Hezbollah and Russia enabled opposition forces to take the initiative and seize new territory.