Aleppo recaptured by Syrian rebel forces a decade after their expulsion

Syrian rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have reached the heart of the northern city of Aleppo after a surprise sweep through government-held towns nearly a decade after being forced out. The Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led the opposition fighters in launching an incursion into a dozen towns and villages in the northern province of Aleppo. The rebels quickly made progress, sweeping through various neighborhoods of the city by late Friday. The attack was the biggest since March 2020, despite a deal between Russia and Turkey to de-escalate the conflict. Turkish intelligence sources suggested Turkey had given a green light to the offensive, but Turkish officials denied this, expressing concern about increased instability in the region. The Syrian military claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib, with Syrian state television denying that rebels had reached the city. Reports indicate that at least 27 civilians, including children, have been killed in the fighting, with the U.N. expressing deep alarm over the situation. Russian and Syrian warplanes have been bombing the area near the border with Turkey in an attempt to push back the insurgent offensive. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia considers the rebel attack a violation of Syrian sovereignty and supports the authorities in regaining control of the area. It is reported that Syrian President Assad may have flown to Moscow for talks with Russian President Putin, although this has not been confirmed.

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