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Syrian opposition factions sought on Sunday to reassure the Iraqi government that their unprecedented offensive in northwest Syria posed no threat to the neighbouring country or the region's security or stability.

In a message sent by the Syrian Salvation Government, which is the name for the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led (HTS) government in Idlib, the rebel factions expressed their desire to work with Iraq.

"We, in the Salvation Government, assure the Iraqi government and the brotherly Iraqi people that Syria will not be a source of concern or tension in the region," the message read.

"On the contrary, we are committed to developing and strengthening fraternal relations with Iraq to ensure regional stability and achieve the shared interests of our peoples," it added.

The statement follows a surprise offensive by HTS-led rebel forces in northern Syria, capturing Aleppo, the country's second-largest city.

In response, Iraqi authorities have reportedly deployed military reinforcements, including army and police brigades, to the Syrian border.

Additionally, Iraq has allowed the crossing of at least 200 Iran-aligned Iraqi militiamen to cross into Syria to defend Assad’s fragile rule.

"These are fresh reinforcements being sent to aid our comrades on the front lines in the north," a Syrian officer loyal to Assad Reuters, adding the militias included well-known Iranian proxies such as Kataib Hezbollah and Fatemiyoun.

The Syrian opposition's appeals to the Iraqi government are likely to fall on deaf ears, with Baghdad unlikely to stop Iran and its proxies from entering Syria to fight for Assad.

On Sunday evening, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani and Iranian President Masoud Bazshkian discussed the situation in Syria.

In a statement issued from Baghdad, they emphasised "the importance of working to prevent a deterioration of the situation in Syria that could threaten the security and stability of the region".

Thousands of pro-Iran militias from Iraq are already active in Syria, where they fight alongside the Assad-loyal army against rebels.

While many have used the defence of Shia holy sites, such as the shrine of Sayyida Zaynab in Damascus, as an excuse for their presence in Syria, it is known that Iran organised the forces from Iraq as auxiliaries for Assad as he battled Syria's rebel forces across the country.

Despite HTS's hard-line Sunni Islamist ideology, it has shifted away from outward expressions or acts of sectarianism and towards a more ecumenical message.