By Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Maya Gebeily AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) -Hundreds of fighters from Iran-backed Iraqi militias crossed into Syria overnight to help the government fight rebels who seized Aleppo last week,

Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have deployed in Syria to back the government’s counteroffensive against a surprise advance by insurgents who seized the largest city of Aleppo.

The anti-Assad forces include mainstream groups backed by Turkiye, as well as Hayat Tahrir Al Sham which was formerly affiliated with Al Qaeda. Turkiye also has a military presence in a strip of Syrian territory along its border.