Rebels in Syria breached neighborhoods in Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city, and clashed with government military forces after detonating two car bombs on Friday. This incident, reported by the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights and The Associated Press, has brought renewed international attention to the ongoing civil war in Syria. The fighting is a significant escalation following a surprise offensive by rebels that began on Wednesday, leading to clashes with regime troops as they advanced towards Aleppo.
Witnesses reported residents fleeing from the western edge of the city amid missiles and gunfire exchanges. The rebels, led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, are urging cooperation from Aleppo’s residents. Syrian state media reported that insurgent-fired projectiles struck student accommodations at Aleppo University, killing four people, including two students. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 121 people killed since the start of the rebel offensive.
This breach is the first time opposition forces have besieged Aleppo since 2016, when they were driven out of the eastern neighborhoods during a military operation supported by Russia and Iran. A ceasefire in 2016 brought an end to intense violence, but the recent rebel offensive has interrupted a period of relative calm in the city.
The situation in Aleppo is still developing, and more updates are expected. Daniel Arkin and Sean Nevin of NBC News are covering the ongoing conflict.
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