Aleppo Under Fire: Russian Strikes Target Rebel-Held Areas

Russian Airstrikes Hit Aleppo Amid Rebel Takeover

“There has been no fighting, not a single shot was fired, as regime...”

The Syrian city of Aleppo has fallen to rebel forces, sparking concerns of further escalation in the country's civil war.

Russian and Syrian warplanes launched bombing raids on a suburb of Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, on Saturday. This move came after jihadi insurgents, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control of most of the city in a surprise attack.

The airstrikes were a response to the rebel factions' significant advances into the city. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the insurgents had made substantial gains, prompting the Syrian military to announce a “temporary troop withdrawal” to regroup and prepare a counteroffensive.

Syria's military acknowledged that dozens of soldiers had been killed in recent fighting in Aleppo and Idlib. In a statement, the military described the insurgents as “armed terrorist organizations” that had taken over “large parts” of Aleppo. The situation remains tense, with the potential for further clashes and humanitarian consequences.

Syrian military sources report that Russian and Syrian forces launched airstrikes on towns and villages surrounding Aleppo, after rebels seized control of the area. The attacks forced around 14,000 people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

Russian forces have been supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops since September 2015. Their goal is to crush an uprising by various rebel groups that began with peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011. The Syrian government responded with force, leading to a full-blown conflict.

The recent escalation of fighting in Syria marks a significant turn in the country's civil war, which had appeared to be largely under control. After years of conflict, President Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, had managed to regain control of around two-thirds of the country. However, the rebel-held stronghold of Idlib, located southwest of Aleppo, remained a point of contention.

In a surprising turn of events, rebel forces have seized control of most of Aleppo, encountering minimal resistance from government forces. According to Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Observatory, government forces have withdrawn to a suburb, allowing rebels to take hold of the city. This development signals a significant shift in the balance of power within Syria.

“There has been no fighting, not a single shot was fired, as regime forces withdrew,” he told the AFP news agency.

The Observatory said 301 people had been killed in fighting, including 28 civilians.

Observers say the rebels have moved far into the citylmage: Bakr Al Kassem/AFP The rebels say the offensive comes in response to recent artillery shelling by government forces targeting civilian areas.

HTS, considered one of the most powerful armed militias in northwestern Syria, is led by al-Qaeda's former Syria branch.

It controls large areas of the Idlib region, as well as parts of neighboring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces.

(AFP, Reuters)