Syrian Rebels Take Control Of Aleppo Neighbourhoods In Surprise Attack

Opposition fighters, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), launched out through government-held towns this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade later.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

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Rebel forces in Syria have taken control of several neighbourhoods in the country's second-largest city, Aleppo for the first time since 2016. The surprise attack sent residents to flee and added fresh uncertainty to a region already devastated by multiple wars.

According to a Reuters report, opposition fighters, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), launched out through government-held towns this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade after being expelled by President Bashar al-Assad and his allies. Aleppo remained free from opposition attacks when opposition forces were ousted from the eastern neighbourhood after a brutal military campaign in 2016, which was supported by Russia, Iran and allied groups backing the Syrian government. 

Russia, one of Assad's key allies, has promised Damascus extra military aid to thwart the rebels, two military sources said, adding new hardware would start arriving in the next 72 hours, as per Reuters. Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport and all roads leading into the city on Saturday.

Government forces say they have reported regaining control of several positions in towns across Aleppo and Idlib provinces after HTS and allied factions launched an offensive on Wednesday. The Syrian army has been told to follow "safe withdrawal" orders from the main areas of the city that the rebels have entered, three army sources said.

According to Reuters, Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel, said their quick advance this week was helped by the lack of Iran-backer manpower in the broader Aleppo province. Iran’s allies in the region have suffered major blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war expanded through the Middle East. 

Opposition fighters stated that their campaign was a response to intensified airstrikes in recent weeks by the Russian and Syrian air forces targeting civilians in rebel-held Idlib, as well as an effort to preempt potential attacks by the Syrian army. As per Reuters, Turkish intelligence said Turkey, which supports the rebels, had given a green light to the offensive.

However, a Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson on Friday said that Turkey sought to avoid greater instability in the region and warned that recent attacks undermine de-escalation agreements.