Syrian Troops Withdraw from Aleppo Amid Rebel Advances

Rebel Fighters in Aleppo Amid Intense Syrian Civil War Fighting

Retreat of Syrian Government Forces

Rebel fighters reportedly came out Saturday outside the citadel in Aleppo. After the rebels against Bashar al-Assad's presidency launched an attack on them, the Syrian government forces retreated from Aleppo. The army said it would open large parts of the country's second-biggest city for rebels to go through but promised an immediate counterattack. The assault is the most intense fighting in Syria's civil war in years.

Casualties and International Reactions

At least 300 have died—more than 20 of whom were civilians—since it started on Wednesday, says UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Satellite interviews over the weekend: Assad pledges "to defend the stability and territorial integrity of Syria in the face of all terrorists and their supporters. Syria is able, together with its allies and friends, to defeat and remove them regardless of how high-intensity terrorist attacks might be," his office quoted him as saying.

Historical Context of the Syrian Civil War

The war has pitted relatives against each other and killed an estimated half a million people, beginning in 2011 when the Assad government responded to pro-democracy protests with a brutal crackdown. The conflict had been dormant since a ceasefire was agreed in 2020, but opposition forces have retained the north-western city of Idlib and most of the surrounding province. Idlib sits just 55km (34 miles) from Aleppo, which until last year was a key rebel stronghold, having fallen in 2016 to the forces of the government.

Islamist Group’s Role in Recent Attacks

The newest wave has been led by an Islamist group known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), along with allied forces that support the Turkish position. It has been considered to be one of the most effective and deadliest of all factions fighting against the Assad government, already dominating Idlib. SOHR said the fighting parties have captured the Aleppo airport and several dozen towns around it. They also announced an evening curfew from 17:00 local time, equivalent to 14:00 GMT.

Rebel Forces Expand Control

The SOHR added that rebel fighters had pushed into several towns in the countryside near Syria's fourth-largest city, Hama—south of Aleppo—and that the Syrian army had withdrawn. However, a Syrian military source quoted by Syria's state media today rejected it.

Russian Airstrikes and International Criticism

Rebel forces in Syria are celebrating after claiming 'majority' control of Aleppo. The Syrian army reported that rebels launched "a large-scale attack from multiple directions targeting the Aleppo and Idlib fronts," resulting in battles spread across "an area exceeding 100km (60 miles)". Dozens of Syrian soldiers were reported killed during the clashes.

On Saturday, the Russian air force—crucial in bolstering Assad's regime during the height of the civil war—conducted airstrikes in Aleppo. These were the first strikes Russia had carried out in the city since aiding Syrian forces in reclaiming it in 2016. Later the same day, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported nine additional Russian airstrikes on Idlib.

A US spokesperson criticized Syria’s "dependence on Russia and Iran" and its unwillingness to implement the 2015 UN Security Council peace plan, stating these factors have "led to the current situation."

Civilians Flee Aleppo

Images from Aleppo on Saturday showed roads congested with vehicles as residents attempted to flee the city, with smoke rising ominously from the skyline.