Syrian Commandos, Hezbollah Move on Aleppo

Rebels Also Sending Reinforcements for Major Battle

Syrian commandos and Hezbollah fighters continue to move toward the major northern city of Aleppo tonight, with rebels saying they believe the fighters intend to encircle the rebel-held districts of the city.

Both sides have been fighting over Aleppo for two solid years now, and each has repeatedly predicted imminent victory, and that Aleppo would be the decisive battle of the civil war.

Aleppo was at one point Syria’s most populous city, and its industrial and financial capital, but has since become a war-torn mess, as with so many other cities that have found themselves contested in the war.

Rebels have reportedly been sending growing numbers of reinforcements into Aleppo from the east, while the Syrian military seems to be concentrating on the northern portion of the city.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.