Syrian Rebels Claim Control Over Half of Aleppo

The recent surprise attack on Aleppo has sent shockwaves through the region, forcing residents to flee and adding new layers of uncertainty to an area already grappling with simultaneous conflicts. These include ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon involving Israel, as well as Syria’s civil war, which has been raging since 2011, according to reports.

This marks the first significant assault on Aleppo by opposition forces since they were ousted from the city’s eastern neighborhoods in 2016. That defeat followed a brutal military campaign supported by the Syrian government’s allies, including Russia, Iran, and affiliated militias.

Unlike the fierce resistance seen in the past, this time there has been little pushback from government troops or their allies. Instead, PLACEHOLDERbb33c5b8ac03aca2 indicate that government forces have retreated in the face of the opposition's advances. Meanwhile, insurgents have PLACEHOLDERaa2a19e1899f7983 with calls for government troops to surrender.

Robert Ford, the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, described the attack as evidence of the Syrian government’s “extreme weakness.” In some areas, Ford noted, the government forces seemed to have been “almost routed.”

This week’s offensive, spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, ranks as one of the PLACEHOLDERfe1836eb5748beba for opposition forces in recent years. It also marks the PLACEHOLDERe585d7a4c471093c in northwestern Syria since 2020, when government forces captured key territories previously held by rebels.

The timing of the assault coincides with internal distractions among Tehran-backed groups like Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has supported Syrian government forces since 2015. Hezbollah has been focused on its own battles in Lebanon, particularly in its recent two-month war with Israel. A ceasefire in that conflict went into effect Wednesday, the same day Syrian opposition factions launched their latest offensive.