Key Takeaways
- Syrian opposition forces have taken control of most of Aleppo in a major challenge to President Bashar al-Assad.
- The rebels have declared a 24-hour curfew to ensure the safety of residents and secure private and public property.
- The Syrian civil war continues to be a complex and dynamic conflict, with multiple factions vying for control.
Damascus: Syrian opposition forces have taken control of much of the country’s second-largest city Aleppo after a lightning advance that killed dozens of government soldiers in a major challenge to President Bashar al-Assad.
A rebel alliance launched a surprise attack this week, sweeping eastward through villages outside the city. This marks the first time Syrianc rebels have set foot in Aleppo since 2016, according to a CNN report. It’s a significant development in the Syrian civil war.
By Saturday, rebel fighters had taken control of large swathes of the city, according to footage geolocated by CNN.
The Syrian army has acknowledged its forces are in retreat, citing large numbers of terrorists as the reason. This redeployment operation is a significant blow to the government’s control in Aleppo. It said reinforcements were on the way and government forces were preparing for a “counteroffensive.”
Rebel fighters have been seen at key locations, with one video showing armed men waving an opposition flag and yelling “God is great” in Arabic at a central square.
Another clip shows rebels at the city’s citadel, which is also in central Aleppo. At least one man in the clip is armed, as he says: “We are the first to arrive and the first to conquer.”
The rebels also claim to have taken the city’s airport. CNN is unable to verify this.
The only exception appears to be the northeastern part of the city, where a few neighborhoods remain under the control of government forces and Iranian militia allies.
The rebel forces have declared a 24-hour-curfew to begin at 5 p.m. local time Saturday, which they said was to ensure “the safety of the residents of the city and to secure private and public property from tampering or harm.”
