BEIRUT − On Friday, Syrian insurgents opposing President Bashar al-Assad declared they had advanced into the center of Aleppo, following a surprising campaign that began on Wednesday targeting government-held areas, nearly ten years after they were expelled from the city.

The offensive, spearheaded by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, involved attacks on multiple towns and settlements in northern Aleppo Province, previously under Assad’s control with assistance from Iranian and Russian forces.

By late Friday, reports from the operations room coordinating the assault indicated that rebels were making their way through various neighborhoods of Aleppo.

In late 2016, Assad, backed by Russia, Iran, and local Shi’ite militias, reclaimed the entirety of Aleppo after insurgents pulled back following a prolonged siege that marked a pivotal moment in the conflict.

Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander from the Jaish al-Izza brigade, noted that the rapid progress was facilitated by a reduction in Iranian-backed forces in the region. Iran’s allied groups have faced recent setbacks, particularly from Israel as tensions from the Gaza conflict escalated.

Sources within the opposition, allegedly in communication with Turkish intelligence, claimed that Turkey had approved the operation.

However, a spokesperson for the Turkish foreign ministry, Oncu Keceli, stated that Turkey aims to prevent further instability in the area and had cautioned that recent confrontations jeopardized efforts for de-escalation.

This assault is the most significant since a March 2020 agreement between Russia and Turkey to reduce hostilities. The ongoing Syrian civil war, which began in March 2011, has resulted in approximately 600,000 deaths.

Civilians Casualties Amid Aleppo Conflict

The Syrian state TV refuted the claims of rebels claiming they had seized the city, and indicated that Russian air support was aiding Syrian forces.

The Syrian military maintained they were actively engaging with the insurgent assault, asserting they had inflicted significant casualties on the rebels in the outer areas of Aleppo and Idlib.

David Carden, the U.N. Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Crisis in Syria, expressed alarm about the deteriorating conditions in northwest Syria.

“The relentless fighting over the last three days has resulted in the deaths of at least 27 civilians, including children as young as eight,” he reported to Reuters.

“Civilians and civilian infrastructure are shielded from attack and must be protected according to International Humanitarian Law.”

According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, four civilians, including two students, were killed on Friday in Aleppo due to shelling on university dormitories by insurgents.

It remains unclear if these fatalities are included in the UN’s reported count of 27 deaths.

In response to the insurgent advances, Russian and Syrian aircraft carried out bombardments near the Turkish border on Thursday, attempting to repel the rebel offensive which has taken ground for the first time in years, according to sources from both the Syrian army and the rebels.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov characterized the rebel action as a breach of Syrian sovereignty, urging local authorities to act swiftly to regain control.

“Regarding the situation in Aleppo, it is an assault on Syrian sovereignty. We advocate for the Syrian government to restore order and return to constitutional governance as quickly as possible,” Peskov remarked.

When asked about speculations from unverified Russian Telegram channels regarding Assad’s visit to Moscow for discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Peskov stated he had “no comment” on that matter.