Syrian opposition breaks into central districts of Aleppo.

The opposition forces in Syria launched an offensive in the central districts of Aleppo. This was made possible after breaking through the defense line west of the city, allowing the rebels to advance into the inner quarters.

In 2012 the brave students at the University of Aleppo raised the #FreeSyria flag over their campus as they rejected the #Assad dictatorship. What they got was a massacre. In 2024, twelve years later, rebels enter the city of #Aleppo and the Free Syria flag is back on campus. pic.twitter.com/dyRiWUqv1L

Quite the atmosphere in Al Basel Square in the Western part of Aleppo city. Assad is looking down on the rebels pic.twitter.com/L2p4hLhywg

According to Middle East Eye, one of the reasons for the successful advance of the opposition forces was the redeployment of a significant part of the Russian aviation to Ukraine. Satellite images of the Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province indicate a decrease in the number of Russian air forces compared to 2019.

The group 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' (HTS) started the offensive on November 27. According to Anadolu Agency, within three days, the rebels managed to capture over 50 settlements in northwestern Syria. The total area of the territory occupied in Idlib and Aleppo provinces is about 400 square kilometers, including control over the strategic M5 road linking Aleppo to Damascus.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports the deaths of 218 militants from both sides and 20 civilians. According to CNN and AP, citing Turkish sources in security agencies, the opposition's offensive was a response to the Syrian army's attack on the city of Idlib, where more than 30 civilians were killed.

Russian aviation has carried out over 25 strikes on cities controlled by the rebels. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reports casualties among the civilian population. Among the dead soldiers from the Syrian army, there is likely one Russian special forces operative.