In a dramatic turn of events, Syrian rebels have surged into the city of Aleppo, marking the most significant challenge to President Bashar al-Assad’s government in years. Led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the rebels took control of key areas in Aleppo, forcing the Syrian army to retreat and redeploy its forces.
HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, spearheaded the offensive that caught government forces off guard. “I am a son of Aleppo, and was displaced from it eight years ago, in 2016. Thank God we just returned. It is an indescribable feeling,” said Ali Jumaa, a rebel fighter, expressing his elation at re-entering the city.
The Syrian army acknowledged the rebel advance, stating that militants had attacked from multiple directions in large numbers. This prompted the army to carry out a “redeployment operation aimed at strengthening defense lines to absorb the attack and preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers.”
In response to the rebel offensive, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its air force conducted strikes targeting rebel positions in support of Assad’s army. The airstrikes reportedly hit rebel concentrations, command posts, depots, and artillery positions in Aleppo and the neighboring Idlib province. Russian sources claimed that approximately 300 rebel fighters were killed in the attacks.
Images and videos from Aleppo showed rebel fighters celebrating in the city’s central squares, with some posing on a toppled statue of Bassil al-Assad, the late brother of President Assad. Others waved opposition flags near Aleppo’s historic citadel, symbolizing a significant morale boost for the opposition forces.
The conflict in Syria has been ongoing since 2011, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displacing millions of people. Major fighting had largely subsided after Assad’s forces, backed by Russia and Iran, regained control over most of the country. Aleppo had remained firmly under government control since a decisive victory in 2016.
The recent rebel offensive signals a potential escalation in the long-standing civil war. The United States stated that it is monitoring the situation closely. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, held discussions expressing serious concerns over the developments and agreed on the necessity to coordinate joint actions to stabilize the situation.
As tensions rise, civilians in Aleppo and surrounding areas face uncertainty and the potential for renewed violence. The international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that will prevent further suffering and bring lasting peace to the region.
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Syrian rebels sweep into Aleppo, Russia strikes in support of Assad
cgtn.com
