Syrian rebels push into Aleppo, prompting army to shut down airport and roads, sources report
Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport and all roads leading to the city on Saturday, according to three military sources cited by Reuters. This came as rebels opposing President Bashar al-Assad, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, claimed to have reached the center of Aleppo.
The rebel fighters launched a surprise offensive this week, advancing through government-held towns and reaching Aleppo nearly a decade after being ousted by Assad and his allies. The Syrian army, reportedly ordered to execute a "safe withdrawal" from areas of the city entered by the rebels, has faced significant pressure.
Russia, a key ally of Assad, has pledged additional military support to Damascus, with new equipment expected to arrive within 72 hours, according to military sources.
This marks the rebels' first return to Aleppo since 2016, when Assad, backed by Russia, Iran, and allied militias, retook the city after prolonged siege and bombardment. Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander of the Jaish al-Izza brigade, attributed the rapid advance this week to a reduced presence of Iran-backed forces in Aleppo province, a consequence of setbacks Iran’s allies have faced amid the expanding Gaza conflict.
The rebels cited recent intensified airstrikes by Russian and Syrian forces on civilian areas in Idlib and the need to preempt potential Syrian army offensives as the reasons for their campaign.
Turkey, which supports the opposition, reportedly gave the green light for the offensive, according to opposition sources linked to Turkish intelligence. However, Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli emphasized Turkey’s commitment to avoiding further regional instability, warning that recent attacks threatened existing de-escalation agreements.
This assault is the largest since March 2020, when Russia and Turkey brokered a deal to de-escalate the conflict in the region.
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