Victory in Aleppo

BREAKING: Aleppo’s Old City Now Fully Liberated by Syrian Army, Remaining Terrorists in Retreat

21st Century Wire

SPECIAL REPORT

DAMASCUS – In a stunning development today, 21WIRE has received reports from on the ground in Syria that remaining ‘rebel’ militants have fled the Old City of Aleppo, even leaving behind a substantial amount of equipment and weapons – as the Syrian Arab Army advances into the remaining terrorist-held neighborhood in the eastern part of Syria’s largest city. 

The following video shows early celebrations in the narrow streets of the Old Citadel. Watch

SAA sources have confirmed that the ‘Old Citadel’ is now fully liberated, “with remaining pockets to be cleansed by tomorrow (Wednesday).”

21WIRE special contributor, Vanessa Beeley, is currently in Damascus, waiting to head to Aleppo.  She had this to say on the situation and the news coming in from Syrian TV channels and statements from the Syrian Arab Army:

“Since I arrived in Damascus on Monday 5th December, there has been a simmering excitement from all members of society, a sense of impending victory in Aleppo. That anticipation seems to have been satiated tonight as news is coming in that the Syrian Arab Army is pushing home its advantage and sweeping clean, the remaining pockets of terrorist resistance against the SAA advances, supported by their allies from Iran, Russia and Hezbollah.

I met with Mother Agnes Mariam de la Croix today, in Damascus city centre to discuss her work supporting the Syrian State’s reconciliation projects which offer all manner of Amnesty and rehabilitation for armed mercenaries. During the meeting Mother Agnes made this statement:

“Between Syrians there are only solutions…no conflict. The conflict comes from outside Syria”

Never has this been more clearly demonstrated than in the SAA liberation of East Aleppo from the NATO + Gulf state funded, multiple gangs of armed insurgents, mercenaries and terrorist groups under the command of Nusra Front aka Al Qaeda. This victory is not only a military victory. It is a victory against all forms of NATO and Gulf state terrorism – the crippling economic sanctions, the hostile media campaigns, the weaponized humanitarianism of Western “state” funded NGOs have all received a fatal blow with this liberation of Aleppo.”

After nearly 3 weeks of heavy fighting in a special offensive launched by the Syrian Army, government forces were said to have controlled at least 75% of the contested areas by the end of Monday. The momentum appears to have shifted completely in the SAA’s favor after another hard push throughout Tuesday.

This weekend, ‘rebel’ militants had mounted a counter-offensive at the districts of Karm Al-Qaterjy and Karm Al-Maysar, but their forces were neutralized, as the Syrian Army continued its progress by capturing both the Turbet Lala and Sha’ar districts of East Aleppo.

It is also believed that a collective decision to retreat has been made by remaining members of the armed militant and terrorist coalition occupying eastern Aleppo. 

Many militants are hoping to negotiate a safe exit via Turkey, but this would be contingent on a three-way negotiation held in Turkey between Russia, Syria and Turkey officials hoping to negotiate an orderly exit, and on what conditions exactly the Syrian Army will allow militants to leave north. It is also possible with some remaining Al Nusra, ISIS and other salafi militants had already begun making their own way over to terrorist enclaves in the east of the country, and also towards terrorist-occupied Idlib province.

It is not yet known whether violent terrorists groups like Al Nusra, Nour al-din al-Zenki, or Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham are included in the bilateral negotiations.

This report has just been updated by the Syrian Arab News Agency:

“Provinces, SANA- The army is advancing further in Aleppo, as its units, in cooperation with the supporting forces, have established control over several new areas after inflicting heavy losses upon the terrorist organizations there.

Aleppo: Units of the Army and Armed Forces, in cooperation with the supporting forces, restored security and stability to the neighborhoods of Karm al-Dada, Karm al-Qatirji and al-Shaar in the city of Aleppo, SANA reporter announced.

In a relevant context, the reporter said members of the Internal Security Forces detonated a car bomb for the terrorist organizations before it managed to reach a military post in the surroundings of Jamiyet al-Zahra.

He noted that the car bomb attack was planned in an attempt to raise the deteriorating morale of the terrorists who had to flee under the army’s strikes in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city.

Later, a military source said that army units restored security and stability to al-Marjeh and al-Sheikh Lutfi neighborhoods in Aleppo, and are pursuing the remaining terrorists in the area.

The source also said that the army units established control over Tallet al-Shurta (hill) after conducting intensive operations against the terrorist organizations to the east of Aleppo city and eliminating their gatherings.”

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES HERE

SEE MORE ALEPPO UPDATES HERE

A couple of hours ago there was a big fat nothing in western media. Here is the Guardian

Syria: Assad loyalists take Aleppo's Old City as rebels plead for ceasefire

Pro-government forces are closest they have ever been to seizing entire city as rebels beg for five day ceasefire to allow civilians to leave

Forces loyal to the Syrian regime have ousted rebel groups from Aleppo’s Old City as an increasingly battered opposition pleaded for a five day ceasefire to allow remaining civilians to be evacuated.

The advances were the most significant of the past week and edged the fighting in Syria’s second city towards a final showdown in neighbourhoods where it all began for the besieged rebel groups four and a half years ago. Bashar al-Assad’s forces, backed heavily by militias that have been instrumental in shifting his fortunes in the war, are now the closest they have ever been to seizing the entirety of east Aleppo – a city central to the fate of the war.


The BBC gives grudging coverage of people returning to Aleppo. Often reporters on the ground can give a very different picture to the main organisation