Syrian troops withdraw from Aleppo as rebels advance

Russia has launched air strikes in certain regions of Aleppo, Syria, following the rebels' takeover of those areas in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

In recent days, there has been the largest attack on the Syrian government in several years, leading to the retreat of its forces from Aleppo, the nation’s second-largest city.

Russia's air force has been crucial in supporting Assad's regime since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011. However, the recent attacks on Aleppo marked the first time they had targeted the city since 2016.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based organization, over 300 individuals have lost their lives since the start of the operation, with at least 20 of them being civilians.

Since the ceasefire reached in 2020, the civil war has mostly quieted down. However, opposing forces continue to hold the northwestern city of Idlib along with a significant part of the nearby province.

Idlib is located only 55 kilometers (34 miles) from Aleppo, a city that was once a stronghold for rebels before coming under the control of government forces in 2016.

The ongoing military operation, which began on Wednesday, is being spearheaded by a jihadist organization called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) along with allied groups supported by Turkey.

HTS was seen as one of the most powerful and dangerous factions opposing the Assad government, and it had already established itself as the leading group in Idlib.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the insurgents have seized control of the airport in Aleppo, along with many surrounding towns.

They also declared a curfew that started at 5 PM local time (2 PM GMT) and will continue until Sunday.

The Syrian military reported that insurgents initiated a widespread offensive from various directions targeting the fronts of Aleppo and Idlib. They noted that fighting occurred across an area spanning more than 100 kilometers (about 60 miles).

It reported that many of its soldiers had died and admitted that rebels had taken control of significant areas in Aleppo.

Government troops announced that they have pulled back from Aleppo for the time being, but previously mentioned that they are getting ready to launch a counteroffensive.

Images captured on Saturday revealed that the roads departing from Aleppo were congested with vehicles as residents sought to escape.