ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The United States on Saturday blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime’s refusal to comply with UN resolutions for the current escalations in the country, while denying Washington’s involvement in the conflict.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said that the US is closely monitoring the developments in Syria, adding that they have been in contact with regional capitals regarding the situation.

Syrian opposition armed groups, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a surprise offensive against the Syrian army in Aleppo and Idlib countryside on Wednesday, triggering one of the bloodiest escalations in the Syrian civil war in years.

“The Assad regime’s ongoing refusal to engage in the political process outlined in UNSCR 2254, and its reliance on Russia and Iran, created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria,” read the statement from Savett.

The UN Security Council Resolution 2254 lays out a roadmap for Syria’s political transition in light of the 2011 civil war and calls for a ceasefire and political settlement in the country. The resolution was adopted in late 2015 but no real progress has been made to implement it nearly nine years later.

Washington’s arch foes, Moscow and Tehran, have been the main supporters of Assad’s regime throughout the Syrian civil war.

The spokesperson also stressed that the US “has nothing to do with this offensive,” highlighting that the attack on the Syrian regime is led by the HTS, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Washington.

Savett urged de-escalation, civilian protection, and “a serious and credible political process that can end this civil war once and for all.”

He noted that Washington will continue to defend American personnel and military positions in Syria, deeming their presence “essential” in preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the country.

Over 300 people have so far been killed as a result of the clashes, including at least 155 HTS members, 100 Syrian army soldiers, and 40 civilians, according to the UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The Syrian army on Saturday announced its withdrawal from key areas in Aleppo and Idlib, following reports that the groups had seized control of large parts of both cities.