Regime shelling kills 53 civilians in Syria’s Aleppo
|(AFP Photo)
by Daily Sabah with AA
Dec 07, 2016 12:00 am


At least 53 civilians were killed Tuesday in regime attacks in the northwestern city of Aleppo, according to a civil defense official who spoke to Anadolu Agency.

Necip Ensari, who operates in the city, said 200 other civilians were injured in the attacks.

A total of 828 civilians have been killed in regime attacks in the area since mid-November, according to figures released by local civil defense officials.

Russian-backed Assad regime forces have recently stepped up their attacks on moderate-held parts of eastern Aleppo in an effort to retake the city and advance on Idlib, one of the Syrian opposition's last strongholds.

Assad regime's first major advance since Russia's intervention in Sep. 2015 was cutting off opposition's supply route from Turkey and lifting the siege on Zahraa and Nubl towns in early Feb. 2016.
The PYD/YPG forces in Afrin also moved eastwards to opposition-held territory, capturing Menagh Air Base and the town of Tal Rifaat while pressuring Azaz, preventing an opposition counter attack.
In late July, regime forces attacked the Castello Road, the only remaining supply route of the opposition to east Aleppo, effectively laying siege on some 300,000 civilians.
Opposition fighters launched an attack to Ramouseh district and Artillery College in early August, managing to open a new supply route after fierce clashes and cut off regime's supply routes.
This route failed to function properly amid regime's air and artillery strikes, and the regime launched a new attack in early September, laying siege on east Aleppo once again.
The regime launched an attack in northern Aleppo in mid-October, capturing the Handarat refugee camp and several neighborhoods in northern parts of the city.
Opposition launched a large scale attack on w. Aleppo in late October, failing to make any gains amid staunch resistance by the regime, which launched its counter-offensive on e. Aleppo on Nov. 26.
Opposition fighters suffered huge setbacks against regime forces on Nov. 27, retreating in most parts of northeastern Aleppo. Regime forces managed to cut off and isolate several neighborhoods.
On Nov.28, civilians in captured areas fled to PYD-held Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood and southwards to opposition controlled parts, along with fighters moving south to reinforce the area.
On Dec. 1, regime forces launched a new attack to capture the parts of Aleppo's old city controlled by the opposition.
By Dec. 4, regime forces managed to advance in northeastern axis, capturing Karm al-Myassar, Karm al-Qatirji and Karm al-Tahan districts from opposition fighters.
Regime forces managed to drive opposition fighters out of the neighborhoods located east and south of the Aleppo citadel by Dec. 7.

The fierce bombardments have forced hospitals and other medical facilities in the war-battered city to cease operations.

Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests-which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings - with unexpected ferocity.

More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, and several rounds of talks have failed to produce a deal to end the fighting.

Last Update: December 07, 2016 17:53