ⓒ The Australian News
Syrian rebels have reportedly seized control of multiple neighbourhoods within Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group. By Friday evening, SOHR claimed rebels held over half the city. This marks the most significant rebel offensive in years, representing the first time rebels opposing President Bashar al-Assad have entered Aleppo since their expulsion in 2016.
Videos circulating on social media, purportedly from the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), show rebel fighters within the city. Geolocation analysis by the BBC confirms the authenticity of some footage, placing it in Aleppo’s western suburbs. Simultaneously, the Syrian government asserts it has regained control of several towns in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, following an offensive launched by HTS and allied groups earlier in the week.
The Syrian civil war, ignited by the government’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011, has claimed over half a million lives. Various armed groups, including jihadists, exploited the ensuing chaos to capture vast territories. However, with support from Russia and other nations, the Syrian government eventually reclaimed most of the lost land. Idlib, the final opposition stronghold, remains largely under HTS control, alongside Turkish-backed rebel factions and Turkish troops.
Statements released on rebel-affiliated channels declared the entry of rebel forces into Aleppo. BBC-verified videos display armed individuals near Aleppo’s medieval citadel and large groups of civilians evacuating the area near Aleppo University.
The Syrian government claims to have deployed reinforcements to Aleppo and is pushing back against the rebels. A military source informed Reuters that all flights from Aleppo airport have been suspended. SOHR reports 23 air strikes by Syrian and Russian aircraft on Friday, resulting in 255 reported deaths—the deadliest clash between rebels and government forces in years.
While fighting in Idlib had subsided since a 2020 ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia, renewed conflict erupted this week. HTS initiated an offensive, citing government escalation as justification. This coincided with increased involvement of the Syrian government and its allies in other conflicts, including the recent Israeli military campaign in neighbouring Lebanon, which severely impacted the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, a key player in the Syrian civil war.
