Syrian National Coalition chief Anas al-Abdeh, in an interview with AFP, also praised a new-found unity among opposition factions that has seen the Fateh al-Sham Front – which used to have ties with Al-Qaeda – join forces with other rebels in the battle for Aleppo.
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Fighting for Syria’s former economic powerhouse is intensifying after an opposition advance at the weekend broke through a three-week government siege of the city’s rebel-held east, dealing a major setback to regime troops. The push prompted an intensive airstrike campaign Sunday as insurgent groups put up a massive defense to protect the new corridor and gain new ground.
“Whoever wins (in Aleppo), the war will not end”.
It said a military operation by Syria’s armed forces was “imminent… and inevitable”. The city has been divided into rebel and government-held parts since 2012.
“They like fighting, which usually means, they won’t give in”. The Hezbollah Brigades have deployed some 1,000 fighters on Sunday, an official said.
“Both sides are amassing their fighters in preparation for the great battle of Aleppo”, said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Observatory.
“I don’t think either area – opposition or regime – is entirely cut off at this point”.
The rebel forces victory appears to be short lived with Russian Federation intensifying its bombing campaign in and around the city of Aleppo in order to root out the radical Islamic extremists with ties to a multitude of known terror organizations.
“This is the new route that the regime forces are securing as a temporary alternative to the route they previously depended on”, Abdel Rahman said. “And the reason we managed to do that is simply because we, the revolutionary forces, made a decision to be united and act as united”.
The battle for Aleppo has taken some unexpected twists in the past 48 hours, as the Assad regime and rebels battle for control of Syria’s biggest prewar city.
UNITED NATIONS The United Nations Security Council must not allow civilians on both sides of the Syrian city of Aleppo to be cut off from humanitarian aid, the United States said on Monday as Russian Federation accused Washington of politicizing a humanitarian issue. He says consumer items would continue to be delivered to meet the residents’ needs.
After years of stalemate, fighting for the city entered a new phase last month when government forces took control of the last supply road into rebel areas, surrounding some 250,000 people in eastern districts. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters.
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On Monday six Russian long-range Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers dropped fragmentation bombs on so-called Islamic State (IS) targets north-east of Palmyra, an ancient site 211km (131 miles) south of Aleppo, Russia’s Defence Ministry said.
