Syrian Rebels Launch Significant Offensive In Aleppo.
Rebel forces in Syria have reportedly gained control of multiple neighbourhoods in Aleppo, marking the most significant challenge to the Syrian government in years. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, rebels now hold more than half of the country’s second-largest city.
This development represents the first major rebel presence in Aleppo since 2016, when government forces, supported by Russian allies, expelled opposition groups. The recent advance was spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist militant group, alongside allied factions. Verified footage shows rebel fighters navigating western suburbs of Aleppo, with further reports indicating movement towards the city centre.
The Syrian government, however, has claimed to have regained control over several towns in the Aleppo and Idlib regions. Reinforcements have been deployed to Aleppo, and a military source confirmed that the city’s airport has been closed, with all flights cancelled. Syrian and Russian forces have reportedly conducted 23 airstrikes in response to the offensive, with SOHR estimating at least 255 casualties in recent clashes.
This escalation disrupts a relative calm established by a 2020 ceasefire agreement brokered by Turkey and Russia, which sought to halt hostilities in Idlib, the last significant opposition stronghold. The renewed violence underscores the enduring complexities of Syria’s civil war, now in its 13th year, which has claimed over half a million lives and displaced millions more.
The rebels’ offensive comes amidst shifting dynamics in the region. Syrian government forces and their allies have been diverted by conflicts elsewhere, including an Israeli military campaign targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon and increased Israeli airstrikes on Iranian-linked sites within Syria.
The latest developments in Aleppo highlight the ongoing volatility in the region, with potential repercussions for both local and international actors involved in the conflict.
