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| Syrian rebels take control in parts of Aleppo - reports | Syrian rebels take control in parts of Aleppo - reports |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rebel forces in Syria have taken control of several neighbourhoods in the country's second-largest city, Aleppo, according to the UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). | Rebel forces in Syria have taken control of several neighbourhoods in the country's second-largest city, Aleppo, according to the UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). |
| As of Friday evening, SOHR said rebels were in control of more than half of the city. | As of Friday evening, SOHR said rebels were in control of more than half of the city. |
| The move is the biggest offensive against the Syrian government in years and the first time rebels fighting the forces of President Bashar al-Assad have reached Aleppo since being forced out by the army in 2016. | The move is the biggest offensive against the Syrian government in years and the first time rebels fighting the forces of President Bashar al-Assad have reached Aleppo since being forced out by the army in 2016. |
| Video posted on a channel affiliated with the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) appears to show rebel fighters in vehicles inside the city. | Video posted on a channel affiliated with the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) appears to show rebel fighters in vehicles inside the city. |
| BBC Verify has geolocated the footage to a western suburb of Aleppo. | BBC Verify has geolocated the footage to a western suburb of Aleppo. |
| Government forces meanwhile say they have regained positions in a number of towns in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, following an offensive launched by HTS and allied factions on Wednesday. | Government forces meanwhile say they have regained positions in a number of towns in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, following an offensive launched by HTS and allied factions on Wednesday. |
| More than half a million people have been killed in the civil war that erupted after the government cracked down on pro-democracy protests in 2011. | More than half a million people have been killed in the civil war that erupted after the government cracked down on pro-democracy protests in 2011. |
| An array of armed groups opposed to the Assad government - including jihadists - took advantage of the turmoil to seize swathes of territory. | An array of armed groups opposed to the Assad government - including jihadists - took advantage of the turmoil to seize swathes of territory. |
| The Syrian government - with help from Russia and other allies - later retook most the areas it had lost. | The Syrian government - with help from Russia and other allies - later retook most the areas it had lost. |
| Idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold, is mostly controlled by HTS, but Turkish-backed rebel factions and Turkish forces are also based there. | Idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold, is mostly controlled by HTS, but Turkish-backed rebel factions and Turkish forces are also based there. |
| The rebel move on the city of Aleppo is a significant challenge to the authority of Syria and its ally, Russia | The rebel move on the city of Aleppo is a significant challenge to the authority of Syria and its ally, Russia |
| On Friday a statement posted on the rebel-affiliated channel said: "Our forces have begun entering the city of Aleppo." | On Friday a statement posted on the rebel-affiliated channel said: "Our forces have begun entering the city of Aleppo." |
| Videos verified by the BBC show armed men running in a street about seven kilometres (4.3 miles) from Aleppo's medieval citadel in the centre of the city. | Videos verified by the BBC show armed men running in a street about seven kilometres (4.3 miles) from Aleppo's medieval citadel in the centre of the city. |
| Another clip verified by the BBC showed large groups of people carrying luggage walking away from an area near Aleppo University. That video was recorded 3km away from a location where HTS-affiliated media claim rebel forces have entered the city. | Another clip verified by the BBC showed large groups of people carrying luggage walking away from an area near Aleppo University. That video was recorded 3km away from a location where HTS-affiliated media claim rebel forces have entered the city. |
| The government says reinforcements have now reached Aleppo and it is driving the rebels out. | The government says reinforcements have now reached Aleppo and it is driving the rebels out. |
| All flights out of Aleppo have been cancelled and the airport has been closed, a military source told Reuters news agency. | |
| SOHR, which uses a network of sources on the ground in Syria, reported that Syrian and Russian planes carried out 23 air strikes on the Aleppo region on Friday. | SOHR, which uses a network of sources on the ground in Syria, reported that Syrian and Russian planes carried out 23 air strikes on the Aleppo region on Friday. |
| The SOHR said 255 people had been killed in the fighting, the deadliest between rebels and pro-government forces in Syria for years. | The SOHR said 255 people had been killed in the fighting, the deadliest between rebels and pro-government forces in Syria for years. |
| Fighting in Idlib had largely wound down since 2020, when Turkey and Russia, Syria's key ally, brokered a ceasefire to halt a push by the government to retake the province. | Fighting in Idlib had largely wound down since 2020, when Turkey and Russia, Syria's key ally, brokered a ceasefire to halt a push by the government to retake the province. |
| But on Wednesday HTS and its allies said they had launched their offensive to “deter aggression”, accusing the government and allied militias of escalation in the region. | But on Wednesday HTS and its allies said they had launched their offensive to “deter aggression”, accusing the government and allied militias of escalation in the region. |
| It came as the Syrian government and its allies were preoccupied with other conflicts. | It came as the Syrian government and its allies were preoccupied with other conflicts. |
| In neighbouring Lebanon, an Israeli military campaign has devastated the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, whose fighters helped turned the tide of the Syrian civil war. | In neighbouring Lebanon, an Israeli military campaign has devastated the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, whose fighters helped turned the tide of the Syrian civil war. |
| Israel has also stepped up its air strikes inside Syria on targets linked to Iran and Iran-backed groups. | Israel has also stepped up its air strikes inside Syria on targets linked to Iran and Iran-backed groups. |
| Additional reporting by Lina Sinjab in Beirut and Richard Irvine-Brown, Merlyn Thomas and Paul Brown in London. | Additional reporting by Lina Sinjab in Beirut and Richard Irvine-Brown, Merlyn Thomas and Paul Brown in London. |