Syrian rebels control Aleppo city; local forces plan counteroffensive

Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group in Syria has taken control of much of Aleppo city after local forces withdrew to organize a counteroffensive to retake Aleppo.

The rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched an offensive against government forces on Wednesday in opposition of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The attack is the first major conflict since a 2020 cease-fire ended most fighting in Syria.

The offensive is composed of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other rebel groups that have formed a coalition they are calling "Military Operations Command," which includes Islamist militants and more moderate groups that the United States formerly supported.

The existence of the MOC was announced Wednesday before the incursion into Aleppo due to what its organizers called an escalation of attacks from Syrian forces and Iran-backed militias.

The surprise attack swept through villages near Aleppo, which Syrian government forces had captured and restored to national control in 2016 during the nation's civil war.

The Syrian military on Saturday confirmed the rebel group entered the city and killed or wounded dozens of soldiers in an apparent resumption of the prior civil war.

Syrian forces withdrew from the city without engaging the rebel forces to organize a counteroffensive and retook positions in communities and towns located in and near Aleppo on Friday.

The governor of Aleppo, police and security forces also withdrew from the center of the city, most of which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as of Saturday morning.

Government forces remain in control of the northeastern part of Aleppo with the help of Iranian-backed militia.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham declared a 24-hour curfew starting at 5 p.m. local time Saturday to protect residents and public and private property against harm.

The Aleppo airport is closed, said the Russian air force on Friday struck armed militants in Aleppo and Idlib provinces.

Kurdish forces also have expanded their control of some neighborhoods in Aleppo and have fought with the rebel forces, CNN reported.

Aleppo has a population of nearly 2.1 million and is the capital of the Aleppo Governate, which is Syria's most populous governate. Aleppo is about 350 miles north of Damascus.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham formerly was an Al Qaeda affiliate called Jabhat al-Nusra that was created in 2011.

Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, in 2026 broke the group away from Al-Qaeda, merged with other groups and renamed it Hayat Tahriral-Sham in 2017.