Syria: The rapid rebel attack reached Aleppo city… The government forces launches a counterattack

Armed groups, including Hay’at Tahrir al Sham and Turkish-backed factions, entered the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday, according to resources from Syria, after a massive attack which was started two days ago against Syrian government-controlled areas that is one of the fiercest rounds of fighting in years.

According to available information, since the start of the attack 255 people were killed, most of them fighters from both sides of the conflict, including 24 civilians.

The attack began during a critical period in the Middle East, with a fragile ceasefire in effect between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, noting that Hezbollah has also been fighting for years alongside regime forces in Syria.

By Friday, the factions had taken control of more than 50 towns and villages in the north, in the biggest advance by Syrian opposition armed groups in years.

In return, reinforcements from the Syrian Army arrived in Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, according to a Syrian security source.

Meanwhile, a firce fight is ongoing the western Aleppo city, whilw Hay’at Tahrir al Sham militants have entered Aleppo city.

According to sources, Syrian army reinforcements have arrived, while further details of the military operation still not clear as more developments are expected in the upcoming hours.

The roads leading to Aleppo have been cut off, there are alternative roads that are slightly longer.

On Thursday, the Syrian army launched a counterattack towards the points from which it had retreated southeast of Idlib, where fierce battles took place in which it was able to regain control of the village of Jobas and force the militants to retreat from the villages of Dadikh and Kafr Batikh east of Idlib, where the battles were concentrated in their surroundings with the implementation of concentrated missile strikes to prevent the militants from returning to them.

The counterattack coincided with an intensive missile attack by the Syrian army towards the positions of the factions of the so-called “Joint Operations Room” led by Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, with Turkish-Ukrainian intelligence support, on the axes of the villages west of Aleppo, reaching the supply lines in Jabal al Zawiya, south of Idlib.

Battles are still raging on two fronts in the Aleppo countryside between the Syrian army and armed groups; the first is the Andan front and the second is the Khan al Assal front, where armed groups are trying to make progress towards them.

In the same context, the Syrian warplanes targeted with several missiles the main headquarters of the joint operations room of the armed forces on the outskirts of the city of Mare’, north of Aleppo, which led to deaths and injuries among their ranks.

In Idlib front, the armed groups are working to open a new axis, where fierce battles are taking place.