“Complex” Aleppo situation: 112 dead as control remains divided

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the latest developments in Aleppo, its surrounding areas, and other parts of northern Syria.

SOHR Director Rami Abdulrahman said, "The situation in Aleppo is complex, as full control over the city has not been achieved, with operations focused on the surrounding areas." He added, "Aleppo's neighborhoods remain under partial control, and areas like Al-Rashidin, with its four neighborhoods, have been under armed factions' control for the past five years."

He also noted that "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has an advanced arsenal, including over 2,000 suicide drones and around 150 suicide fighters ready to attack if needed. This type of attack has not been widely used, raising questions about the group's strategy."

“Clashes could spread to southern Idlib and northern Hama, with fighting possibly erupting in strategic areas like Khan Shaykhun and Al-Habit, and potentially reaching Turkish observation posts set up under past Turkiye-Russia agreements,” Abdulrahman added.

Moreover, he noted, “Armed factions, including HTS, receive advanced support from regional players like Turkiye and possibly other international parties…HTS fighters have been trained in southwestern Idlib by officers from Eastern European countries, a detail confirmed by the observatory months ago.”

Regarding casualties, the SOHR director reported “87 regime forces killed, including 62 Syrian soldiers, with the remainder being pro-Iranian militia fighters… Civilian casualties reached 25 due to shelling and clashes.”

“The situation in Aleppo is not just a battlefield conflict but part of a broader struggle to reshape regional and international influence in Syria,” he concluded.

Earlier today, clashes between the Syrian army and opposition forces, particularly HTS, have intensified in western Aleppo and southern and southeastern Idlib.

The fighting, described as the heaviest in years, erupted Wednesday in Aleppo province between a coalition of opposition groups and Syrian government forces. The offensive was led by HTS, one of the most powerful armed militias in northwest Syria.

Originally part of Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, HTS severed public ties with al-Qaeda in 2016 and rebranded itself as an independent Salafi-jihadist organization. The group, primarily based in Idlib province, seeks to establish Islamic rule in Syria and opposes the Assad government. Under the leadership of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, HTS commands an estimated 12,000–15,000 fighters.

HTS is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by both the United States and Turkiye. The group has drawn international criticism for its tactics, including imposing taxes on local populations and targeting rival factions, further fueling extremism and instability in the region.