Aleppo no longer under Assad govt's control for first time since Syrian civil war

The Aleppo city of Syria is no longer under the control ofPresident Bashar al-Assad's government, for the first time since the conflict began in the country, the news agency AFP reported on Sunday (Dec 1), citing a war monitor.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP thatHayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied rebel factions "control Aleppo city, except the neighbourhoods controlled by the Kurdish forces."

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"For the first time since the conflict started in 2012, Aleppo city is out of control of Syrian regime forces," Rahman added.

In a shock offensive, rebel factions breached Aleppo on Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016. The advance on Aleppo followed a shock offensive by insurgents on Wednesday.

The surprise attacksent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling under multiple wars.

> The death toll in the conflict is now over 400.

> The toll in five days of clashes and air strikes "has reached 412", the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, including 214 rebels from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied factions who launched the offensive, 137 pro-government forces and 61 civilians, 17 of them on Sunday.

> Aleppo is no longer under the Assad government's control for the first time since the Syrian civil war began in 2012.

> Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that he would leave Tehran for Damascusto deliver a message of support for Syria's government and armed forces.

>"I am going to Damascus to convey the message of the Islamic Republic to the Syrian government," Foreign Minister Araghchi said, emphasising Tehran will "firmly support the Syrian government and army."

> A day earlier, Iran's foreign ministry said its consulate in Aleppo had come under attack, but staff members were safe.

> Also on Saturday, rebel factionsseized Aleppo's airport and dozens of nearby towns after overrunning most of the city.

> The Syrian Armyconfirmed that the rebels had entered "large parts" of Aleppo of around two million people and said "dozens of men from our armed forces were killed."

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> Since 2020, the rebel enclave in Syria's northwestern Idlib region has been subject to a Turkish- and Russian-brokered truce that has largely been held despite repeated violations.

> But the insurgents' launch of a surprise offensive on Wednesdayagainst Aleppo shattered the truce.

> The Syrian government regained control of a large part of the country in 2015 with the support of its Russian and Iranian allies, and in 2016 the entire of Aleppo.

> On Saturday, Russia launchedits first air strikes on Aleppo since 2016, targeting the rebels.

> The state-run Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of the Enemy Parties in Syria said missile and bomb strikes against the rebels had targeted "militant concentrations, command posts, depots, and artillery positions" in Aleppo and Idlib provinces.

(With inputs from agencies)