Over the weekend, rebels in a coalition known as Jaish al-Fatah launched a lightning advance that sealed the conquest of Ramouseh, a key district through which supplies flow to government forces in western Aleppo city.
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Regime and rebel forces have sent in hundreds of fighters and extra military equipment to join the crucial battle for Syria’s second city Aleppo, a monitoring group said Monday.
But fierce fighting and continuous Russian and Syrian air strikes in and around the Ramousah area mean no safe passage for besieged east Aleppo residents has been established, activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
It is estimated that 250,000 people reportedly leave in the besieged areas.
The rebel front line is now pushing northwest into western held Aleppo on the edges of the Hamdaniya neighbourhood and a housing estate called the 3,000 project, rebels and the Observatory said.
The city has been a battleground since 2012, when it was stormed by the opposition and divided into a regime-controlled western half and an east under rebel dominion.
Three vans of vegetables crossed into east Aleppo, Abdurrahman said, but this was a symbolic gesture and the corridor is too risky for civilians or significant supplies to pass.
Another rebel commander, Hossam Abu Bakr from Ahrar al-Sham, a major faction in the Army of Conquest alliance, said his fighters are working to secure the corridor by expanding their hold. “There are no safe routes for civilians in government-held districts to use to get into or out of the city”, he told AFP.
The advance followed a rare show of unity among the opposition, which began a campaign a week ago involving thousands of fighters working to break the siege of Aleppo.
The district houses a number of military colleges. “Food is already getting more expensive and the coming days risk being very hard”, said the 34-year-old.
On the other hand, opposition fighters seemed to be more optimistic in their certainty to win this battle as the official source in the Syrian free army announced that the rebels have crossed 90% of their plan to liberalize eastern areas in Aleppo and more than halfway through crossing the road to liberalize Aleppo.
In another report, the Observatory said an air strike near a hospital in northwestern Syria on Saturday killed 10 people including children and damaged the hospital.
State television said the Syrian air force was carrying out air strikes around the military academy buildings seized by opposition forces.
Syrian Army troops, backed by voluntary forces, are fighting to recapture the strategic northern city from terrorist groups.
The Syrian military news agency said later on Saturday the Syrian army had restored control over the Artillery College and had made the rebels withdraw from the Weaponry College.
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Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests against Assad’s rule but has since evolved into a brutal war that has drawn in world powers.
