Published 2024-11-29 23.32
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full screen Heavy clouds of smoke in Aleppo. Photo: Ghaith Alsayed / AP
Al-Qaeda-linked rebels have launched a massive assault on Aleppo.
Now the bloody conflict that has been dormant for eight years is resuming.
A weakened Hezbollah is singled out as the reason for the surprise offensive.
On cue, the car bombs exploded in Syria’s second largest city, Aleppo.
Then thousands of rebels went on the attack. At least 130 people are said to have been killed in the fighting with Bashar al-Assad’s government forces, including several women and children.
– Our forces have begun to enter the city of Aleppo, says the newly formed rebel coalition in a statement, according to CNN.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the offensive is led by the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, writes France 24.
On Friday afternoon, they took down the Syrian flag at the statue of President Bashar al-Assad’s brother Bassel deep inside Aleppo.
According to the Human Rights Observatory, half the city has been taken over.
In the days before, they have managed to take control of a number of villages in the area to secure access to the highway.
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full screen At least 130 people are said to have been killed in the fighting. Photo: Omar Albam / AP
It is the first time since government forces recaptured the city in 2016 that the rebels have attacked the Assad regime.
But it is no coincidence that they are striking right now, according to defense analyst Nanar Hawach.
– The rebels see an opportunity to test the front lines when Hezbollah is weakened. Iran is under pressure and Russia is busy in Ukraine. The rebels were surprised by their success and have pushed forward faster than they expected, he says CNN.
– The rebels see a shift in power.
The rebels have claimed during the day that they have taken control of Aleppo, but this has been dismissed by government forces who say they have pushed them back.
The Syrian forces are supported by Russia, which is its closest ally. Now the rebels are being bombed by Russian warplanes.
– We are working so that the Syrian government can quickly restore order in the area, says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
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full screen Photo: Ghaith Alsayed / AP