Rebels Take Control of Half of Syrian City Aleppo

aleppo - Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have seized half of the city of Aleppo according to reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army is said to be retreating from the city.

Reports from sources within the Syrian army indicate that all highways leading to Syria's second city have been cut off, and troops are withdrawing. The airport has also been closed, limiting access to and from the city for civilians. However, there have been no reports of gunfire on the streets of Aleppo, with the army's retreat reportedly peaceful. Despite this, Syrian state television denies that the rebels have entered the city, although unverified footage shows armed militants in the streets. Residents claim to have heard rocket strikes, but information from the region is scarce.

The rebel advance began on Wednesday, the same day a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Hezbollah. By Friday, the rebels had captured over fifty villages, with fierce clashes resulting in 277 casualties, including 28 civilians. Most of the deaths were attributed to Russian airstrikes.

UN official David Carden, responsible for humanitarian aid in Syria, expresses deep concern over the situation in the country's northwest.

Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, was fully retaken by Bashar al-Assad's government forces in late 2016. This recent violence marks the first significant conflict in the city since that time. Assad enjoys the backing of Russia, which reportedly pledged additional military support to Damascus.

The rebels, supported by Turkey, which shares a border with northern Syria, have accused Russia and Syria of escalating tensions with recent attacks, leading to renewed fighting in the region.

Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and displacing a significant portion of the population. The UN describes Syria as the country with the highest number of refugees worldwide.