Rebels seize half of Aleppo: Largest offensive since 2016 as government forces retreat

Rebel forces from the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have taken control of a large part of Aleppo, Syria‍‍`s second-biggest city. 

This was reported on Saturday, November 30, by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based group that monitors the situation in Syria. 

According to SOHR, since the attacks began last Wednesday, 277 people have been killed, including 20 civilians.

The British news outlet BBC, quoting SOHR, reported that by Friday evening, the rebels had gained control of more than half of Aleppo. 

There is now heavy fighting between government forces and the rebels, as the government tries to regain the areas that have been captured.

Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of SOHR, said, "Half of Aleppo is now controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied groups." He added, "There wasn’t any fighting, and no shots were fired. The government forces simply withdrew."

Three military sources told Reuters that Aleppo‍‍`s airport has been shut down, and all flights scheduled for Saturday have been canceled. 

Rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad have reportedly reached the center of the city.

This marks the first time the rebels have reached Aleppo since they were forced out by the Syrian army in 2016. At that time, Assad’s forces, with the help of Russia, Iran, and regional Shia militias, took the city from the rebels. 

This latest offensive is being described as the largest attack by rebels against government forces in recent years.

The BBC referred to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as an Islamist militant group and reported that a video released by HTS showed rebel fighters inside Aleppo, traveling in vehicles. 

The BBC confirmed that the video was filmed in Aleppo’s western suburbs.

The Syrian government claimed that after the attacks by HTS and its allies began on Wednesday, they managed to retake several towns in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.

Another video, verified by the BBC, showed crowds of people carrying heavy bags near Aleppo University. 

The video was filmed about three kilometers away from the path the rebels are said to have used to enter the city, according to a channel supporting HTS.

The Syrian government has also said that fresh military units have already arrived in Aleppo, and efforts to push out the rebels have begun. 

Due to the tense situation, all flights from Aleppo have been canceled, and the airport has been closed, according to military sources quoted by Reuters.

Since the civil war began in 2011, over 500,000 people have been killed in Syria.