Beirut: A Syrian army source said the city of Aleppo would soon be encircled by government forces as rebels pounded by Russian air strikes expressed hope that the failure of Geneva peace talks would encourage their foreign backers to send better weapons. It was reported that at least 40,000 people have fled the city in anticipation of the offensive.
Aleppo, 50 km south of the Turkish border, is divided into areas of government and opposition control. Since the start of Russia’s bombing campaign, the army and its allies have launched major offensives to the south of the city against rebels, and to the east against Daesh.
The army source said operations to fully encircle Aleppo from the west would happen soon. The army and its allies on Wednesday broke through rebel lines to the northwest of the city, reaching two Shiite towns loyal to the government for the first time in 3-1/2 years.
If the government regains control of Aleppo, it would be a big blow to rebels’ hopes of toppling Al Assad after a war that has divided Syria between western areas mostly still governed from Damascus and much of the rest of the country held by armed groups.
Residents thanked Al Assad, Iran and Hezbollah in celebratory scenes from the towns of Nubul and Al Zahraa broadcast by Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV. The powerful Kurdish YPG militia, which controls wide areas of northern Syria, meanwhile added to the pressure on rebel, capturing two villages near Nubul and Al Zahraa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The Syrian Kurds have consistently denied opposition claims that they cooperate with Damascus.
