Rebel groups advance into Syria's second-largest city in surprise attack
- 28 November, 11:09
Thousands of Syrian opposition forces and insurgent groups have launched a large-scale attack on government forces in northwest, reaching the country’s second-largest Aleppo city, the fighters and media reported on Wednesday.
The opposition factions, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, seized thirteen villages, including strategic towns of Urm Al-Sughra and Anjara. The Syrian regime’s larges base in Aleppo, Base 46, was also captured by opposition forces during the surprise offensive called “Deterrence of Aggression” by the Syrian opposition faction. The insurgents killed 37 members of regime forces and allied militia during the attack. Dozens of regime forces are said to have been captured.
Hassan Abdulghani, the Military Operations Command of the Syrian rebels said the group carried out “a precision strike targeting a helicopter at Al-Nayrab Airport,” east of Aleppo.
The Syrian rebels have seized heavy weapons, military vehicles and depots belonging to the regime forces in the areas they took control of. The insurgent groups shared the images of some of the military equipment captured from government forces. According to war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, dozens of fighters from both sides have been killed in the battles that started Wednesday.
Meanwhile, State media reported airstrikes on insurgents’ positions in Aleppo and Idlib outskirts.
Wednesday’s attack marks the first significant clash between Syrian regime and insurgents since March 2020 when Turkey and Russia mediated a cease-fire agreement in the country. Following the Wednesday attack, Syria’s Armed Forces accused the insurgents of violating the 2019 agreement.
The opposition fraction brings together Islamic groups as well as moderate Free Syrian Army group that was previously supported by the US and Turkey.
