Rebel Groups In Syria Take Control Of Half Of Aleppo

Rebel groups in Syria have taken control of half of the country’s second-largest city, Aleppo. This information was reported on Saturday, November 30, by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an organization that monitors Syria’s civil war.

Rami Abdul Rahman, an official from the Syrian Observatory, stated that half of Aleppo is now under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied factions. He added that there has been no fighting or gunfire, and that government forces have withdrawn.

Three military sources informed Reuters that Aleppo’s airport has been shut down, and all flights scheduled for Saturday have been canceled. Opposition rebels have reportedly reached the city center, challenging President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Additionally, the Syrian military has blocked all major roads leading to and from Aleppo, according to three separate military sources. They also mentioned that troops are being safely withdrawn from surrounding areas as rebels quickly seize control of these regions.

Since Wednesday, rebel groups led by HTS have launched surprise attacks to capture government-held towns, advancing rapidly and reaching Aleppo for the first time in nearly a decade. In 2016, the city had been taken from the rebels by Assad’s forces, with the support of Russia, Iran, and regional Shia militias.

Mustafa Abdul Jaber, commander of the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, noted that the lack of Iranian-backed forces in the Aleppo border province allowed the rebels to advance swiftly.

As the war in Gaza spreads throughout the Middle East, Israel’s successive attacks have led to the defeat of Iranian-backed forces.

Meanwhile, Russia, Assad’s key ally, has promised additional military aid to Damascus to counter the rebels. According to two military sources, new military equipment will arrive in Syria within 72 hours.

The peaceful protests for democracy in Syria in 2011 were met with a violent crackdown by the government, leading to a civil war that has resulted in over half a million deaths.