Anti-regime armed groups reach Aleppo in rapid offensive
BEIRUT
Armed opposition groups battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces made significant progress on Friday, advancing into central Aleppo, according to local sources.
After three days of intense fighting, anti-regime forces pushed eastward, breaching defensive lines in the outlying neighborhoods of Hamdaniyah, New Aleppo, and Zahraa. By midday, the groups were moving toward Aleppo's city center.
Meanwhile, in southeastern Idlib, opposition groups secured control of the Saraqib district, a critical junction connecting the M4 and M5 highways after encircling the area from both the north and the south.
During three-day clashes, opposition forces captured 108 locations, including 86 in rural Aleppo and 22 in Idlib. This rapid advance has resulted in anti-regime groups seizing control of approximately 850 square kilometers (328 square miles) across the two provinces.
The clashes, which began on Wednesday in western Aleppo's countryside, saw anti-regime forces swiftly push toward the city center. On Thursday, their offensive expanded into Idlib's countryside, culminating in significant territorial gains.
Amid the escalating conflict, Russian warplanes targeted Mare in northern Aleppo late Friday. The airstrike resulted in the death of eight members of the Syrian National Army, further intensifying the situation.
"The recent clashes have resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions in the region," Turkish foreign ministry statement said.
With fighting escalating in central Aleppo, many regime supporters have reportedly fled to Damascus, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis.
