Pro-Turkish Factions Control Half of Aleppo

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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported early Saturday that half of Aleppo, in northern Syria, is now under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied factions, following a surprise attack launched by these groups on regime-controlled areas.

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The Observatory’s director, Rami Abdul Rahman, stated, “Half of the city is now under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and factions allied with it,” adding that the fighters had reached the Aleppo Citadel. He noted, “No fighting occurred, not a single shot was fired, as regime forces withdrew.”

Armed groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and factions supported by Turkey, entered Aleppo on Friday after shelling it as part of a swift and surprising assault launched two days earlier against government forces. This is the most violent attack in years and also allowed them to seize the town of Saraqib in Idlib province, according to the Observatory.

Abdul Rahman highlighted that the factions had taken control of Saraqib, explaining its strategic significance: “Saraqib (northwest) prevents the regime from advancing toward Aleppo and lies at a strategic crossroads connecting Aleppo with Latakia (west) and Damascus.”

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Previously, the Observatory director reported that the factions had entered southwestern and western neighborhoods, taking control of five districts in Syria’s second-largest city. This marks the first time armed factions have entered Aleppo since President Bashar al-Assad’s regime fully regained control of the city in 2016.

A correspondent on the ground reported clashes between the factions, Syrian forces, and allied groups. Two eyewitnesses also confirmed seeing armed fighters in their neighborhoods, sparking panic among residents.

The military operations have claimed 277 lives, mostly combatants from both sides, but also 28 civilians, the majority of whom were killed in Russian airstrikes supporting regime forces.

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The attack comes during a critical period in the Middle East, with a fragile ceasefire in place in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, the latter having fought alongside regime forces in Syria for years.

By Friday, the factions had seized control of over fifty towns and villages in the north, according to the Syrian Observatory, marking their most significant advance in years.

On Thursday, the Observatory reported that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters and their allies had cut off the road linking Aleppo and Damascus.

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A university dormitory in Aleppo was bombed on Friday, killing four civilians, according to the state-run SANA news agency. The battles have displaced more than 14,000 people, nearly half of them children, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

From Aleppo, Saramed, a 51-year-old resident, said, “Around the clock, we hear the sounds of missiles, artillery fire, and sometimes aircraft. We fear the war scenarios will repeat, forcing us to flee our homes again.”

Meanwhile, Nasser Hamdou, 36, from western Aleppo, expressed economic concerns over the road closures: “We are following the news constantly. We fear rising fuel prices and shortages of some essential goods.”

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Syrian army reinforcements have reportedly arrived in Aleppo, according to a Syrian security source.

Before the Observatory confirmed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s entry into the city, the security source mentioned “intense battles and clashes on the western front of Aleppo.” The source added, “Military reinforcements have arrived. Details of the operations will not be disclosed to ensure their success, but we can affirm that Aleppo is fully secure and will face no threats.”

The source also clarified that “roads to Aleppo are not entirely cut off, though there are slightly longer alternative routes,” promising that “all roads will be reopened soon.”

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Simultaneously, three military sources reported that Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport and all roads leading to the city on Saturday.

Amid the clashes, Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out over 20 airstrikes on Idlib and its surrounding villages, according to the Observatory, killing one person.

On Friday, the Russian military announced that its air forces were targeting “extremist factions.” Russian news agencies quoted a spokesperson for the Reconciliation Center of the Russian Ministry of Defense in Syria, stating that airstrikes targeted “equipment, armed personnel, command points, depots, and artillery positions belonging to terrorist groups,” claiming that approximately 200 militants had been killed in the past hours.

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On Friday, Turkey called for a “halt to attacks” on Idlib and its surroundings, the stronghold of armed opposition in the country’s northwest.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on the X platform that the recent clashes “have led to an undesirable escalation of tensions in the border region.”

The fighting resulting from this offensive is the most violent in years in Syria, a country that has been engulfed in a bloody conflict since 2011, sparked by popular protests against the regime. This conflict has claimed the lives of more than half a million people, displaced millions, and devastated the country’s infrastructure and economy.

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In 2015, Russia intervened alongside Syrian regime forces, successfully shifting the balance in favor of its ally after it had lost control of most of the country.

During the two months of war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel intensified its strikes on pro-Iranian factions in Syria.

These factions, most notably Hezbollah, have provided direct support to Syrian forces in recent years, enabling them to regain control over the majority of the country’s territory.

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On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described what is happening in Aleppo as a “violation of Syria’s sovereignty.” He expressed his country’s support for the “Syrian government in restoring order and constitutional sovereignty in the region.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi reiterated in a statement “Iran’s continued support for the Syrian government, its security, and its army in their fight against terrorism,” following a phone call with his Syrian counterpart, Bassam Sabbagh.

In Idlib, the head of the “Salvation Government” that manages areas under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s control, Mohamed al-Bashir, stated on Thursday that the military operation was due to the regime’s mobilization “along the front lines and its bombing of safe areas, causing the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians.”

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Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, along with less influential opposition factions, controls roughly half of Idlib and its surroundings, as well as areas bordering the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, and Hama.

Since March 6, 2020, a ceasefire has been in place in Idlib and its surroundings, announced jointly by Moscow, an ally of Damascus, and Ankara, a supporter of opposition factions. This ceasefire followed a massive offensive launched by regime forces with Russian support over three months.

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On Friday, fighters from several factions were seen in Al-Atarib, advancing towards the outskirts of Aleppo as the army withdrew and tanks and vehicles belonging to opposition factions moved in.

A masked fighter said, “I have been displaced for five years, and now I am participating in the battles. God willing, we will reclaim our land and country stolen by the criminal regime. We call on our young brothers, sitting at home, to join us so that we can take back the country.”

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