Aleppo, Syria – Syrian authorities shut down Aleppo’s airport on Saturday, suspending all flights as rebel forces, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, pushed into the heart of the city. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, as the rebels’ surprise sweep through government-held towns has brought them back into Aleppo nearly a decade after being driven out. The move is a major blow to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which has held control of the northern city since 2016, following a lengthy siege and bombardment that ended with the withdrawal of insurgents.
The opposition fighters began their offensive on Wednesday, and by Friday, they had made substantial progress, sweeping through various neighborhoods of Aleppo. Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, indicated that the rapid advance was aided by the absence of sufficient manpower from Iran-backed forces in the Aleppo region. He also noted that the Iranian-backed militias had been weakened by a series of setbacks in the wider Middle East, particularly amid ongoing conflicts involving Israel.
As the rebels pushed forward, Russia, a key ally of Assad, pledged additional military support to the Syrian government, including new military hardware expected to arrive within the next 72 hours. Russia has been a crucial backer of the Syrian regime, providing airstrikes and ground support that helped Assad reclaim much of the territory lost to opposition forces in previous years. In response to the escalating situation, Syrian state television denied claims that rebels had reached the city center, while confirming Russian air support for Syrian military operations.
The Turkish government, which has supported some rebel groups in the past, reportedly gave its approval for the offensive. However, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli expressed concerns about the potential for further instability in the region, reiterating Turkey’s position against actions that undermine de-escalation agreements made in March 2020 with Russia.
The fighting has led to civilian casualties, with at least 27 civilians, including children, confirmed dead in the past three days, according to David Carden, the U.N. Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that insurgent shelling of university student dormitories in Aleppo killed four civilians on Friday, though it was unclear if these fatalities were among the 27 mentioned by the U.N. The renewed violence threatens to exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation in the region.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the rebel offensive, labeling it a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and reaffirming Moscow’s commitment to supporting the Syrian government in restoring control and order.
