ALBAWABA - Dozens were reportedly killed following a wave of armed clashes between Syrian army soldiers and Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters in Aleppo, as armed factions and allied forces have taken control of at least ten locations previously controlled by President Bashar al-Assad's military.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), around 100 militants and troops were killed in battles on Wednesday as a result of an operation undertaken by HTS, which controls a vast portion of northwest Syria.
"Moreover, 37 members of the Syrian regime forces including at least four officers of different ranks were killed and five members were captured, while weapon depots, armored vehicles, machinery, and heavy weapons were taken over," the observatory said in a statement.
According to activists with the observatory, 16 members of affiliated armed organizations and 44 members of HTS were killed.
The SOHR also reported that Syrian army forces fired "hundreds of shells and missiles on civil and military positions" throughout the turmoil, killing and injuring civilians.
Social media users shared videos of smoke rising from the rural areas of western Aleppo. In a number of towns close to the city center, rebel troops were also seen across several streets.
One video shows a fighter in the village of Anjara, which is said to be his hometown, praying and celebrating. The cameraman can be heard saying, "Anjara is ours, not the Assad family's".
While some Syrian outlets highlighted the fighting without giving specifics about the locations or the outcomes of the operation, Syrian state media has not covered or provided any details regarding the hostilities.
