Rebel forces have advanced into parts of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, marking the largest offensive against the government in years, according to a UK-based monitoring group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that rebels set off two car bombs before pushing into several neighbourhoods, although further details about the attacks remain scarce.
The Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), along with allied factions, claimed responsibility for seizing multiple towns and villages in both Aleppo and Idlib provinces. The offensive, which began on Wednesday, has resulted in fierce fighting between rebel forces and pro-government troops.
In response, Syrian government forces announced that they had regained control of key positions in the Idlib and Aleppo countryside, according to the state news agency. Despite this, the SOHR indicated that the rebels have captured over 50 towns and villages since the start of the assault.
The escalation has seen intense aerial bombardment, with SOHR reporting that Syrian and Russian warplanes carried out 23 airstrikes on Aleppo city and surrounding areas on Friday alone. The latest wave of violence has led to the deaths of at least 255 people, mostly combatants, marking the deadliest clash between rebels and pro-government forces in Syria in recent years.
The fighting in Aleppo is the most significant since the Syrian civil war began in 2011. Although violence had subsided by 2020 following a ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia, the conflict has flared up again. The ceasefire had halted a major government offensive to retake Idlib, but sporadic clashes, airstrikes, and shelling have continued in the years since.
Idlib, which remains the last major opposition stronghold in Syria, is home to over four million people, many of whom have been displaced by the ongoing war and are living under dire conditions. The latest offensive has raised fears of further displacement and humanitarian crises as rebel forces and government troops continue to clash.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides reportedly gearing up for more combat as the conflict in Syria shows little sign of resolution.
