ALBAWABA - On Sunday, local sources told Al Sharq that armed factions who took control of Aleppo have enforced a curfew and established a "military-civil administration" in northern neighborhoods. State-run media said that Syrian airplanes hit these factions' strongholds in Aleppo and Idlib's countryside.
The ruling faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), announced the curfew will start at 5 PM local time and restore basic services within days. Schools and universities are shuttered, and hundreds of Aleppo residents have evacuated, fearing bombings or a counteroffensive. Reports of Syrian army retreating soldiers sheltering in civilian homes raise concerns about house-to-house inspections and mass arrests.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense said its personnel left Aleppo to "reinforce defensive lines and protect civilians." In Hama, the army strengthened its positions against advancing armed factions.
Aleppo supermarkets saw strong purchases as people rushed to get bread and dairy. HTS vowed to restore bakeries by Monday after fuel and wheat shortages. Fuel stations have resumed operations at government prices, but a black market has formed selling fuel at inflated costs amid Syria's crisis.
Turkish-backed Syrian armed groups prevented Kurdish troops from building a corridor between Tel Rifaat and northeastern Syria. Syrian and Russian planes bombed insurgent strongholds in Aleppo and Idlib.
Aleppo, Syria's economic center, has been disrupted. Post-2017 industrial zones like Sheikh Najjar are affected again. The national system makes power more reliable, but Aleppo's strategic and economic importance puts it in the focus of ongoing war.
Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh said the government is "fighting terrorism and restoring stability across Syria."
