BEIRUT — On Saturday, the city of Aleppo experienced a remarkable influx of Syrian insurgents, who arrived in vehicles fitted with improvised armor, targeting significant locations such as the historic citadel. This escalation came on the heels of their largely unchallenged entrance into Syria’s largest city the previous day, as confirmed by local residents and combatants.

Witnesses reported that late Friday, two airstrikes struck the outskirts of Aleppo, aimed at insurgent reinforcements, with blasts occurring alarmingly close to residential areas. A monitoring organization reported that these strikes resulted in the deaths of 20 fighters.

In a statement made on Saturday, Syria’s armed forces acknowledged the insurgents’ control over substantial areas of Aleppo but asserted that the insurgents had not yet established permanent bases or checkpoints. To address the widespread offensive, the military announced it was repositioning troops to protect civilian lives and prepare for a potential counteroffensive.

Insurgents were sighted near the police headquarters and the Aleppo Citadel, where they took down posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad, some of which they burned while others were trampled underfoot.

This unexpected turn of events marks a considerable setback for Assad, who had successfully regained full control of Aleppo in 2016 after a brutal military campaign that drove out insurgents and countless civilians from the city’s eastern districts, supported by Russia, Iran, and allied forces.

Since that time, Aleppo has remained free from opposition forces. The 2016 conflict was a crucial turning point in the ongoing civil war that erupted following protests against Assad’s regime in 2011, escalating into a comprehensive conflict.

The recent offensive in Aleppo follows weeks of increasing minor violence, including government assaults on opposition-held territories. Turkey, which backs Syrian opposition groups, was unable to halt these government offensives through diplomatic means, which have been viewed as breaches of a 2019 agreement negotiated by Russia, Turkey, and Iran aimed at stabilizing the region.

Simultaneously, Iranian-affiliated groups, particularly Hezbollah from Lebanon, are reportedly preoccupied with their domestic conflicts. A ceasefire in Hezbollah’s recent engagement with Israel took effect on Wednesday, coinciding with the announcement of the opposition’s offensive. Additionally, Israel has ramped up its strikes on Hezbollah and Iranian-associated targets in Syria over the past 70 days.

Insurgents raise flag over Aleppo Citadel

Eyewitnesses noted that government forces remained stationed at the city’s airport and a military academy, but most troops had retreated from the southern parts of the city. Meanwhile, Syrian Kurdish forces maintained their presence in two neighborhoods.

The military insisted that this redeployment was a temporary measure, assuring that central command and armed forces were dedicated to ensuring the safety and peace of the people in Aleppo.

In Saadallah Aljabri Square, opposition fighter Mohammad Al Abdo shared his feelings, noting it was his first return to Aleppo in 13 years and recalling the loss of his older brother at the start of the conflict. “With God’s will, we will liberate the rest of Aleppo province from government control,” he vowed.

On Saturday, the city center was relatively quiet, with light traffic; opposition fighters fired celebratory shots into the sky, but there were no visible clashes or signs of government forces.

Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a teacher who left Aleppo in 2016, returned the night before after learning about the insurgents’ presence. He expressed a mix of emotions, feeling both sorrow and nostalgia as he walked through the city. “As I entered Aleppo, I kept repeating, ‘This is unbelievable! How did this happen?’” He recalled his nighttime stroll around the citadel, where insurgents raised their flags, and his visits to the university and other significant landmarks.

“I walked through the empty streets of Aleppo, shouting, ‘People of Aleppo, we are your sons,’” Alhamdo relayed in a series of messages to The Associated Press.

The insurgents initiated their surprise assault in the Aleppo and Idlib regions on Wednesday, quickly taking control of numerous villages and towns before entering Aleppo on Friday.

Pro-government outlet Al-Watan reported airstrikes aimed at disrupting rebel supply lines on the outskirts of Aleppo, releasing footage showing a missile strike hitting a gathering of fighters and vehicles along a tree-lined street.

City hospitals are full

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that twenty fighters lost their lives in the airstrikes, while residents reported ongoing clashes and gunfire, which prompted many to flee the turmoil.

On Saturday, schools and government offices were closed as most residents opted to stay indoors, according to reports from Sham FM, a pro-government radio station. Nonetheless, bakeries continued to operate. Observers noted that insurgents had deployed security personnel throughout the city to discourage violence and looting.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Aleppo’s airport has been closed, halting all flights. On Friday, both of the city’s main public hospitals were reportedly overwhelmed, while many private medical facilities had suspended operations, according to OCHA.

Social media captured insurgents congregating outside the historic Aleppo Citadel, engaging with local residents and assuring them of their safety and intentions to avoid causing harm.

The Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria reported that nearly 3,000 individuals, primarily students, had fled to their regions to escape the violence in Aleppo, which has a notable Kurdish population.

State media reported that several “terrorists,” including sleeper cells, had infiltrated parts of the city. Government forces are actively pursuing and detaining those who posed for photographs near prominent city landmarks, as stated by state outlets.

On a Saturday morning talk show, commentators criticized Turkey for its support of the insurgents’ advance into Aleppo and Idlib provinces, emphasizing that army reinforcements and assistance from Russia would be critical to countering these “terrorist groups.”

According to Russia’s state news agency Tass, Oleg Ignasyuk, a Russian Defense Ministry official overseeing operations in Syria, reported that Russian airstrikes on Friday targeted and killed 200 militants involved in the offensive in the northwest, although no further details were provided.