Syrian rebel groups take control in and around Aleppo
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Syrian rebels in the streets of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Nov. 30, 2024. Photo: Bakr al Kaseem/AFP via Getty Images
Several armed Syrian opposition groups have taken control of almost all of Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, according to a war monitoring group and reports from the city.
Why it matters: The breach of Aleppo is a dramatic shift in the 13-year Syrian civil war and the rebels' largest offensive since 2020.
- The rebels' gain in Aleppo are a huge blow not only to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but also to his Russian and Iranian backers.
- The attack on the city took place while Assad is visiting Moscow ahead of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.
Driving the news: Armed rebel groups opened a surprise offensive on Aleppo on Wednesday and quickly overran the Syrian army, pro-Iranian militias and some Russian forces in the area.
- The offensive is led by Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist opposition group backed by Turkey and designated a terrorist organization by the U.S.
- On Friday, the rebels entered the old city of Aleppo and took over several key sites, including the historic citadel and the Umayyad Mosque, according to videos posted on social media.
- They also seized control of more than one dozen villages and military bases and positions around the city.
- A U.S. official said the offensive surprised the Biden administration and added that U.S. wasn't involved in the attack.
The big picture: The Syrian civil war began after Assad launched a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011.
- An estimated half-million people have been killed in the fighting and about 6.8 million people have been forced to flee the country.
- Recently the fighting between the government and the range of opposition groups trying to overthrow Assad has been at a stalemate.
The Syrian rebels' latest offensive on Aleppo began one day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon was announced.
- The rebels launched the attack when Hezbollah, Iran and Russia, who all helped Assad regain control of Aleppo in 2016, are weak and stretched thin as they also fight wars in Lebanon and Ukraine.
