Reports: Russia dismissed its commander in Syria after the fall of Aleppo in the hands of Syrian opposition factions
After rebels took control of Aleppo, Russian reports said Sunday that Moscow had dismissed Lieutenant General Sergei Kisel, who was in charge of Russian forces in Syria.
Media outlets close to the Russian Defense Ministry, reported that Lieutenant General Kisel was dismissed hours after rebels stormed Aleppo.
Unconfirmed reports indicated that Kisel would be replaced by Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko.
Colonel General, Chaiko led Russian forces in Syria between 2017 and 2019.
According to British media reports, Russian forces withdrew from their bases in Suqaylabiyah and Hama air base after the attack, and hundreds of Russian soldiers are said to be missing.
Meanwhile, Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, is now out of government control after Hay’at Tahrir al Sham and allied factions took control of most of the city’s neighborhoods, with the exception of the northern neighborhoods controlled by Kurdish forces.
This major shift came after a surprise attack by armed factions on Wednesday, when most Syrian forces withdrew from the city, despite having retaken it from armed factions in 2016.
