HTS-led military operation of the Syrian civil war
On 29 November 2024, Syrian opposition group Tahrir al-Sham, along with allied Turkish-backed groups in the Military Operations Command, entered the Syrian government-held city of Aleppo. The battle began on the third day of a large-scale rebel offensive. It was the first time fighting had broken out in the city since the earlier battle, which began in 2012 and ended in 2016 when the Assad administration pushed rebels out of the city.
On 30 November 2024, opposition groups captured most of the city amidst the collapse of pro-government forces. Coinciding with the lightning-speed takeover of Aleppo, the rebels pushed into the countryside of northern Hama; the whole city of Hama eventually fell to the rebels on December 5.
Background.
After the battle from 2012 to 2016, Syrian government forces did not develop or increase the military defenses of the city even though rebel forces continued to operate to Aleppo's west. Instead, the pro-government groups engaged in corruption, and were thus not well prepared for major insurgent attacks.
On 27 November 2024, Syrian opposition groups led by Tahrir al-Sham launched an offensive against pro-government forces in Northwestern Syria. The offensive, the first of its kind by any side in the conflict since March 2020 Idlib ceasefire, resulted in the rapid capture of dozens of villages by the opposition forces. During the offensive, rebels reportedly seized 70 sites in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib and about 10,000 civilians fled the fighting to the Idlib countryside, northwestern Syria.
Opposing forces.
The rebel assault on Aleppo city was spearheaded by Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), but also included various other rebel factions. Among others, there were Syrian National Army (SNA) units such as the Northern Storm Brigade, Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, and Sham Legion. Various Islamist and jihadist militias also took part in the operation, including Ajnad al-Kavkaz, Liwa al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, Mujahidin Ghuroba Division and Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad. The insurgent forces, especially HTS, were well-organized, relatively well-equipped, and highly motivated. The rebels had also sent sleeper cells to infliltrate Aleppo city.
In contrast to the rebels, pro-government forces in Aleppo suffered from poor organization, extensive corruption, and poor morale. Regular Syrian Army units lacked supplies, were regarded as unreliable, and included many "ghost soldiers" in their ranks. One Syrian Army colonel later argued that the Aleppo-based troops had previously relied on Hezbollah and Iranian officers for operational command, but these had been largely withdrawn from Syria at the time of the opposition offensive. Among the remaining Aleppo-based garrison were Iraqi militias and some Iranian advisers. On 28 November, a meeting of high-ranking officers in Aleppo was successfully attacked by the rebels. Several important commanders, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general Kioumars Pourhashemi, were killed in the attack, greatly impacting the local leadership.
Battle.
Fall of Aleppo.
On 29 November 2024, rebel forces approached the outskirts of Aleppo. They took Khalsa, Al-Rashidin and Khan Tuman, where the army abandoned four T-55 tanks. The Syrian government was overwhelmed by the rebel offensive's speed, and could not organize a coordinated defense of Aleppo. The defending units were not provided with a coherent plan, instead being "told to work it out for themselves". Researchers Hassan Hassan and Michael Weiss argued that the pro-government forces "suffered a complete breakdown in command and control and morale". The main Syrian Army unit on the insurgents' path, Regiment 46, "simply collapsed". Some military formations, including the 25th Special Mission Forces Division and Republican Guard, were hastily sent to reinforce the city, and took up position at several strategic locations such as the Citadel of Aleppo. Other pro-government units withdrew southward, such as Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba. As the insurgents attacked, they initially bypassed heavily fortified strongholds like the Military Academy and Artillery College in favor of a speedy advance deep into Aleppo.
During the afternoon, rebels entered the Hamdaniyah and New Aleppo neighborhoods in the city, after carrying out a double suicide bombing with two car bombs. In the latter half of the day, opposition forces captured five city districts, Al-Hamdaniya, New Aleppo, 3000 Apartments, Al-Jamiliya, and Salah al-Din districts. Clashes were reported elsewhere in the city, including its center. By midnight, opposition forces had captured parts of Al-Sukariyya, Al-Furqan, Al-Adhamiya, and Saif al-Dawla districts, and claimed to have had taken control of the main square of Aleppo. Around this time, the rebels also approached the Neirab camp where the local loyalist garrison consisting of Liwa al-Quds troops retreated without organizing resistance.
Hours after the rebel incursion into the main neighbourhoods, thousands of civilians fled the city through the main Khanasir Athriya intersection with most heading to Latakia and Salamiya.
The rebel forces issued evacuation warnings calling on residents of Aleppo to move eastwards "for your safety". Syrian state media reported that projectiles launched by the rebels hit student housing in the University of Aleppo, killing four people, including two students.
In the early hours of 30 November 2024, rebel forces captured the Citadel of Aleppo and the government headquarters in the city, as well as "more than half" of the city. By morning, rebel forces had seized control of most of Aleppo, facing little resistance and forcing pro-government troops to retreat toward as-Safirah. Government forces and Iranian militias remained in control of a few neighborhoods in northeastern Aleppo. Russian forces abandoned at least three military bases around the city.
Clashes between Syrian rebels and SDF.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces occupied Aleppo International Airport and the Shaykh Najjar district, following the withdrawal of pro-government forces. Incursion into the Kurdish-held neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsoud was thwarted and 3 rebels were taken prisoners. In the evening, rebels took control of Aleppo airport from the SDF without clashes. An airstrike, reportedly carried out by Russian aircraft, killed 16 civilians and injured 20 others in the city. Two other airstrikes on rebel reinforcements on the outskirts of the city left 20 fighters dead.
That day, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) reportedly facilitated the entry of 2,892 refugees from Aleppo into Northeastern Syria.
On 1 December 2024, HTS captured the thermal power station, Artillery College, and the Military Academy on the outskirts of the city. Meanwhile, clashes occurred between SNA and SDF in the Sheikh Najjar industrial district. Concurrently, the SDF closed the road linking areas in the northern Aleppo countryside and the city center of Aleppo.
Later that day, in response to the swift rebel gains in Aleppo and Tell Rifaat, the AANES declared a state of general mobilization. The rebels issued a demand for Kurdish forces in Aleppo to leave with their weapons for the northeast.
Also on 1 December, the Russian Air Force conducted an airstrike on the Aleppo University Hospital, killing 12 people, injuring two journalists.
On 2 December 2024, rebels captured the Sheikh Najjar industrial zone from the SDF and pushed further south of Aleppo, capturing Khansir in an attempt to cut off the army's main supply route to Aleppo city.
Aftermath.
The Kurdish enclave inside the city, namely the neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, were besieged by the rebels, with the approximately 100,000 residents facing "dwindling food supplies and a lack of services". However, no significant mass displacement was reported as of date. The rebels renewed their offer for armed fighters to leave the city and guaranteed their safety, but asked the civilians to stay.
In the days after the battle, while the Syrian Salvation Government was trying to establish itself in the city, Aleppo residents were facing shortages of bread and fuel, and cut telecom services.
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;