ALEPPO, Syria – Syrian armed rebels have claimed to have entered Aleppo for the first time since government forces recaptured the strategic city in 2016.
The unexpected offensive, spearheaded by the newly formed rebel coalition known as the Military Operations Command, has reignited conflict in northern Syria after years of relative dormancy.
In a statement released Thursday, November 28, 2024, the rebel coalition announced, “Our forces have begun entering the city of Aleppo.”
The claim, yet to be independently verified, has prompted fierce responses from Syrian government forces, which described the attack as a “major assault” by “terrorist organisations” using heavy weaponry and drones.
Rebel Advances and Government Countermeasures
The rebels reported capturing the Syrian government’s Military Scientific Research Center on Aleppo’s outskirts following what they described as “intense clashes with regime forces and Iranian militias.”
Meanwhile, the Syrian military stated it was fortifying positions along battlefronts to repel the offensive.
State-run news agency SANA blamed rebel factions for an artillery strike on Aleppo University’s dormitory, which killed four people.
A university employee anonymously confirmed the incident, and a video verified by CNN showed students fleeing and aiding the injured.
Rebel spokesperson Hassan Abdulghani denied the allegations, dismissing them as “baseless lies.”
Escalating Civilian Toll
Airstrikes and shelling by Syrian forces on rebel-held areas in Aleppo and Idlib countryside have resulted in significant casualties.
The White Helmets rescue group reported 15 civilian deaths, including six children and two women, with 36 others injured.
In a further escalation, Iranian state media confirmed the death of Brigadier General Kioumars Pourhashemi of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Aleppo.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, accused the United States and Israel of “reactivating” rebel forces and pledged continued Iranian support for the Assad government.
Geopolitical Implications
The offensive has drawn international reactions, with the Kremlin urging Syrian authorities to “restore order” and reassert constitutional control.
Both Russia and Iran remain staunch allies of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, offering military and logistical support.
The renewed fighting highlights the fragile state of Syria’s 2020 ceasefire agreement, which had largely frozen hostilities between Assad’s forces and opposition groups.
A Protracted Civil War
Syria’s civil war began in 2011 amid the Arab Spring, evolving from a pro-democracy uprising into a multi-sided conflict involving regional and global powers.
The war has claimed over 300,000 civilian lives and displaced millions, according to the United Nations.
While the conflict had settled into a tense stalemate in recent years, the current escalation underscores the enduring volatility in Syria.
With mounting casualties and growing international concern, the situation in Aleppo may signal a grim chapter in the protracted war.
