Rebel forces in Syria have taken control of the majority of Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city, according to the UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). This marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict, as the city has been a key battleground in the Syrian Civil War.
For the first time since 2016, Russia launched airstrikes in parts of Aleppo overnight into Saturday, intensifying the military actions. According to SOHR, over 300 people, including more than 20 civilians, have been killed since the rebel offensive began on Wednesday.
The ongoing offensive is the largest in years against the Syrian government forces and the first time since 2016 that rebel groups have managed to re-enter Aleppo, after being ousted by government forces. Military sources confirmed that Aleppo’s airport and all roads leading into the city have been closed.
The rebels reportedly seized most of the city without facing significant resistance, according to SOHR, who stated that Syrian regime forces withdrew with no fighting, leaving city infrastructure such as police stations, intelligence offices, and the city council abandoned.
Earlier on Friday, government forces claimed to have regained control over several towns in Aleppo and Idlib provinces following the rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied factions.
Videos from HTS-affiliated media showed rebel fighters moving through the western suburbs of Aleppo, with BBC confirming footage from a western Aleppo suburb.
The fighting is intensifying in Syria’s ongoing civil war, which has already claimed over half a million lives since 2011. A wide range of armed groups, including jihadist factions, took advantage of the chaos following the government’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests to seize territory.
Despite the Syrian government regaining much of this territory, Idlib remains the last major opposition stronghold, largely controlled by HTS and other rebel factions, with Turkish-backed forces also present.
On Friday, SOHR reported that Russian and Syrian planes carried out 23 airstrikes near Idlib, resulting in four civilian deaths and 19 injuries. Russia stated that its bombings targeted “extremist forces,” with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov voicing support for the Syrian government to restore order and protect the country’s sovereignty.
In Aleppo, residents are living in fear as heavy shelling and missile fire continue. Sarmad, a local resident, described hearing continuous artillery shelling, expressing concerns about the potential for further displacement.
The UN’s deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, David Carden, expressed deep concern over the growing humanitarian crisis, noting that relentless attacks over the past three days have claimed the lives of at least 27 civilians, including young children.
While fighting in Idlib had largely subsided since 2020, a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey, Syria’s key allies, halted the government’s push to retake the province.
However, HTS and its allies launched their current offensive, accusing the Syrian government and allied militias of escalating violence in the region.
Analysts suggest that one factor contributing to the rebels’ rapid advance is the weakening of Syria’s allies, Iran and Hezbollah, due to Israeli attacks in the region.
