Armed groups opposed to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have successfully broken through to the centre of Aleppo, one of Syria’s largest cities, after three days of intense fighting with regime forces.
According to local sources, the opposition forces breached the defence lines in the Hamdaniyya, New Aleppo, and Zahra axes in Aleppo’s western outskirts.
They continued their advance into the heart of the city after fierce clashes that saw them seize control of 400 square kilometres (154 square miles) of territory.
Following a night of heavy fighting, the opposition groups have reportedly captured 70 settlements and key strategic locations around Aleppo. As a result, tens of thousands of civilians have fled to rural Idlib in northwestern Syria, seeking refuge from the escalating violence.
Saraqib under opposition control
In a significant development, opposition forces have taken control of the town of Saraqib in Idlib province. The town, strategically located at the crossroads of the M4 and M5 highways, has long been a critical junction connecting Damascus to Aleppo and Latakia to Aleppo.
Regime forces withdrew from the town after suffering significant losses in a two-day battle. Anti-regime groups now control this vital location, marking a major shift in the ongoing conflict.
Fighting spreads to Aleppo’s suburbs
The conflict has spread to the outer suburbs of Aleppo, as regime loyalists, facing mounting pressure, have begun fleeing towards Damascus. Opposition forces captured several key military sites, including the Scientific Research Centre in one of Aleppo’s outer neighbourhoods, which had been used by the regime for producing barrel bombs and artillery.
Opposition groups also seized Anadan, one of the largest settlements on the outskirts of Aleppo. By Friday morning, opposition forces had taken control of nearly 550 square kilometres (342 square miles) of territory along the Idlib and Aleppo frontlines.
Regime airstrike and civilian casualties
In response, Russian warplanes launched an airstrike on an opposition base in the northern Syrian town of Mare, causing material damage but no reported casualties. Meanwhile, regime forces have continued to target civilian areas with ground-to-ground missiles.
In a tragic development, four students were killed, and two others injured on Friday when regime forces launched a missile attack on a student dormitory at the University of Aleppo. The attack occurred as clashes between opposition groups and regime forces raged on the outskirts of the city. The Syrian regime has yet to comment on the incident.
Syria War Monitor: Opposition forces seize control of most of Aleppo
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday that opposition forces have taken control of the majority of Aleppo city. This marks a significant shift in the ongoing conflict. The opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions, have gained control over key government centres, prisons, and other strategic locations.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fighters from the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham entered Aleppo on Friday without encountering resistance from forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former Syrian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda terror group, has maintained presence and varying degree of control in the country’s northwest for more than a decade.
The commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham had recently reassured civilians that they would not be harmed during the ongoing conflict.
Russian airstrikes have targeted parts of Aleppo for the first time since 2016, escalating tensions in Syria’s second-largest city. These attacks come amid an ongoing battle for control of the city, which has seen intense fighting between opposition groups and the Assad regime’s forces.
The situation remains volatile as the conflict continues to unfold, with both sides suffering heavy losses. The control of Aleppo’s central areas marks a major milestone in the opposition’s campaign against President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Syria has been engulfed in civil war since 2011, when the Assad regime violently suppressed pro-democracy protests. The recent flare-up of violence in Aleppo and Idlib marks some of the most intense fighting the country has seen in recent years, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
Prisoners reportedly freed
Reports published on Afghan Khaama Press claimed that opposition armed groups had announced the capture of a Syrian army security prison in the city, where they free approximately 100 prisoners.
