Rebel forces have taken control of the country’s second largest city, Aleppo during the development in the Syrian civil war.
The rebels are a mix of moderate and Islamist groups fighting the Syrian government for control of the city.
The Syrian government is yet to give any response to these rebels but they have been using Russian airpower to bomb rebel positions in Aleppo and will probably continue to do so.
What is Syrian Civil War
The civil war started in 2011 in Syria by protesters fighting against authoritarian rule, sectarian tensions and economic inequality that escalated into civil war.
Key events of the civil war are:-
- March 2011 – protests started by the arrest of a group of teenagers that wrote anti-government graffiti in the city of Daraa.
- April 2011 – The Syrian Government responds to the protest with force, leading to extreme violence everywhere and the beginning of the civil war.
- 2012 – The rebels formed the Free Syrian Army (FSA) while the government receives support from Russia and Iran.
- 2014 – The Islamic State (ISIS) seized large areas of Syria and Iraq.
- 2015 – Russia began airstrikes in Syria aiming ISIS but also hitting opposition groups.
This civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century as over 500,000 people have been killed, more than 12 million people have been displaced with over 6 million taking refuge in neighbouring countries.
Rebel advances in recent times
Now-a-days, the rebels have gained control of Aleppo city along with many main roads and intersections, giving them a strategic advantage.
One of the video showed an armed rebel waving an opposition flag while yelling “God is great” in Arabic at the central square.
Another clip showed a group of rebels at city’s citadel in central Aleppo while one armed man says that they are the first to arrive and the first to conquer.
International reaction
The international community has been watching the situation in Aleppo closely while US, the European union, and other international organizations have called for a ceasefire and settlement to the conflict.
