The Syrian regime has been expelled from Aleppo for the first time since 2011 as factions advance

12/01/2024

Saeed Alyousef

The Syrian regime has been expelled from Aleppo for the first time since 2011 as factions advance. Syrian opposition factions announced today, Sunday, their full control over the city of Aleppo, marking the end of the Syrian regime’s military and administrative presence in the city. This significant milestone is the first of its kind since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution against the regime in mid-March 2011. This achievement follows five days of intense operations led by the "Military Operations Administration," a coalition of various opposition factions, under the banner of the "Deter Aggression" campaign launched early last Wednesday. During this campaign, the factions seized control of the "46th Brigade" and the entirety of the western Aleppo countryside, advancing to the outskirts of the city from its western neighborhoods. "Deter Aggression" Factions Advance into Western Aleppo Over the past two days, factions participating in the "Deter Aggression" operation made their first advances into western Aleppo neighborhoods. This progress coincided with their rapid takeover of eastern neighborhoods, which had been evacuated under a displacement agreement at the end of 2016, after four years of opposition control. Their entry into Aleppo was preceded by a strategic operation carried out early Thursday by a unit affiliated with the "Military Operations Administration" inside the city. The operation targeted a high-level security meeting involving Syrian regime and Iranian officers. The attack resulted in the death of Brigadier General Kiomarth Borhashmi, commander of the Iranian "Revolutionary Guard" militia in Aleppo. On the afternoon of Friday, November 29, 2024, the "Military Operations Administration" officially announced the entry of its forces into Aleppo's neighborhoods. This followed their capture of Al-Mansoura, the Scientific Research Center, and parts of the Rashideen Suburb complex near the city's western entrance. The factions subsequently entered New Aleppo after intense clashes, inflicting heavy casualties on Syrian regime forces. The "Deter Aggression" factions continued their advance into the Al-Hamdaniya neighborhood, taking advantage of the significant collapse of regime forces and their allies. This advance coincided with a broad offensive into the neighborhoods of Al-Jamiliyah, Al-Azamiya, and Al-Furqan, as well as the vicinity of the University of Aleppo. Simultaneously, they launched an assault on the nearby Zahraa Artillery Base. Within hours, the factions reached the Al-Ramouseh district in southwest Aleppo, a location that had previously been a battleground for intense military confrontations. It was here that the "Army of Conquest" attempted in late 2016 to break the siege on Aleppo after capturing the nearby military colleges. However, the eastern neighborhoods were re-sieged, leading to a displacement agreement that ended the blockade. The "Deter Aggression" factions also seized control of the military hospital in the Al-Mokambo neighborhood. According to exclusive sources reported by Syria TV, military security personnel who withdrew from their positions in Aleppo retreated to the fortified Aleppo Central Prison. Reaching the Al-Basil Roundabout in central Aleppo, the factions removed the statue of Basil Hafez Al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Hours later, the regime retaliated with an airstrike, which killed and injured dozens of civilians. As the factions advanced through most of Aleppo’s western neighborhoods, reaching the famous Saadallah Al-Jabri Square in the city center—fulfilling the early revolutionary protests’ chant in Aleppo: “Saadallah Square, we’re coming, by God!”—other groups of factions regained control over several eastern neighborhoods that had previously been under their control. The most prominent eastern neighborhoods reclaimed by the factions include Al-Salihin, Saif Al-Dawla, Al-Firdous, Al-Kallaseh, Bustan Al-Qasr, Al-Sukkari, Jisr Al-Haj, Al-Shaar, and all of Old Aleppo. Meanwhile, the regime maintained only a nominal presence in a few areas, such as Al-Suleimaniyah, Al-Aziziyah, and Al-Midan, before fully withdrawing within a few hours. Aleppo International Airport, Military Academy, and War Colleges Earlier today, the "Military Operations Administration" continued its advance in Aleppo, seizing control of the Military Academy in the city’s west and the war colleges in the Al-Ramouseh area in the south. Meanwhile, the regime retained control over the Nayrab Military Airport and the nearby "Brigade 80." However, the factions captured Aleppo International Airport yesterday, Saturday, marking the first civilian airport to fall under opposition control since the revolution began. With this advance, only the Sheikh Maqsoud and Al-Ashrafiyah neighborhoods remained outside the factions’ control. These areas are held by the "People's Protection Units (YPG)," which had also taken control of Al-Siryan, Bustan Al-Basha, and Al-Halk neighborhoods after the regime handed them over. The YPG later reached an agreement with the factions to withdraw to areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa and Manbij, east of Aleppo. Factions Expand Control in Aleppo Countryside Following their complete takeover of Aleppo city, the factions pressed forward into the countryside, with significant gains in the northern and eastern regions. This advance came as part of the Syrian National Army's “Dawn of Freedom” operation, launched on Saturday. Over the past two days, factions involved in “Dawn of Freedom” secured the town of Tadif, along with dozens of nearby towns and villages in the Al-Bab region, east of Aleppo. Their progress extended into the Deir Hafer area, where they captured the thermal power station and the Kuweires Military Airport. During these operations, the factions reportedly seized drones, radar systems, and large stockpiles of weaponry. "Dawn of Freedom" Factions Report Major Gains Earlier today, factions involved in the “Dawn of Freedom” operation announced the complete capture of Al-Safira, a key city east of Aleppo. Simultaneously, the “Military Operations Administration” confirmed its control over the Defense Factories in the region, marking a significant milestone in the campaign. Furthermore, “Dawn of Freedom” forces took control of the Sheikh Najjar Industrial Zone in Aleppo after intense clashes with Syrian regime forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The factions also reported linking up with “Deter Aggression” forces at the eastern gateway to Aleppo city. Strategic Advances: Menagh Airport and Tal Rifaat In ongoing battles today, the Syrian National Army, as part of “Dawn of Freedom,” announced the full capture of Menagh Military Airport and the city of Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo. This victory followed fierce engagements with both the Syrian regime and the SDF. Earlier in the day, the National Army had launched a large-scale offensive targeting Tal Rifaat, during which it secured dozens of surrounding villages. While clashes with the SDF continue, the liberated villages were previously used by the SDF as launch points for attacks, infiltrations, and artillery strikes on areas held by the factions in Aleppo’s countryside. Local sources informed Syria TV that earth barriers were removed from the Gaziantep-Aleppo road near the Al-Shatt checkpoint in the Azaz area, northern Aleppo, marking a significant development as the Syrian National Army advanced toward Tal Rifaat and its surrounding countryside. Meanwhile, as “Dawn of Freedom” factions pressed forward east of Aleppo, “Deter Aggression” factions made further strides in the southern countryside, seizing the strategically important Mount Azan. Atop the mountain is the Azan Battalion, one of the most crucial air defense units in southern Aleppo. This battalion, one of the oldest in the region, operates under the “80th Brigade,” responsible for protecting both Aleppo International Airport and Nayrab Military Airport. Implications of Aleppo’s Liberation This marks the first time Aleppo has been fully liberated from the Syrian regime’s military and administrative control since the start of the revolution in mid-2011. Initially sparked by peaceful protests calling for the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, the movement quickly escalated into a brutal conflict after the regime violently suppressed demonstrations with overwhelming force and a wide array of weapons. The liberation of Aleppo represents a pivotal moment in the Syrian conflict. As Syria’s second-largest city and its economic and cultural hub, Aleppo has long been a symbol of the regime’s dominance over the country’s core institutions. The regime’s complete loss of Aleppo is a historic shift that fundamentally alters the military and political dynamics of the Syrian conflict. With battles continuing in the surrounding countryside, opposition factions are determined to sustain their momentum, furthering their territorial gains and potentially enhancing their leverage in future negotiations. The complete capture of Aleppo—potentially the entire province in the near future—marks a pivotal moment for the Syrian opposition, which has achieved its first major military breakthrough since the revolution began in 2011. While this historic achievement represents a significant victory for the revolution, the opposition faces substantial challenges in managing a city the size of Aleppo. Key issues include providing essential services to its millions of residents, who have endured years of war and siege. In the coming hours or days, the factions involved in “Deter Aggression” and “Dawn of Freedom” operations are likely to consolidate their control over the entire Aleppo countryside. The only areas currently outside their control are the regions of Manbij and Ayn Arab (Kobani), separated by the Euphrates River, both under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), except for the Al-Jarrah/Kishish Military Airport in Maskana, which remains under Syrian regime control. The significant advances made by the factions in Aleppo and its surrounding areas, the full consolidation of control over Idlib province, and the push into Hama province, where they have captured much of the northern countryside, represent the first such progress since March 2020. At that time, Russia, supporting the Syrian regime, and Türkiye, backing the opposition, brokered a ceasefire that halted military confrontations in the last major opposition stronghold in northwestern Syria (Idlib and its connected rural areas from Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia). These gains signal a shift in the balance of power in northern Syria. The factions have effectively coordinated military efforts, coupled with significant improvements in training and expertise, enabling them to make rapid progress at the expense of both regime forces and the SDF. 

Translated from:  www.syria.tv/294409

See also:

www.dohainstitute.org/en/PoliticalStudies/Pages/syria-rebel-takeover-as-regime-forces-retreat.aspx