Syrian Army launched heavy assault against rebels in Aleppo, UN condemns.
July 28, Aleppo (Syria): The forces of the regime of Bashar al-Assad on Saturday launched their assault against the rebels in Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city in which control is a crucial issue of the conflict, according to a Syrian NGO.
Several Western countries and the UN had expressed concern at the prospect of this assault, Washington raising the possibility of a new “massacre” in this country bloodied by 16 months of violence triggered by the repression of a protest movement unprecedented against the regime.
Reinforcements who massage for days near the metropolis of the North “head to the neighborhood Salaheddin, which has the largest number of rebels,” he told AFP Rami Abdel Rahman, president of the OSDH.
“The heaviest fighting since the beginning of the revolt took place in several neighborhoods,” he said, adding: “We can say that the assault began.”
Local Committees for Coordination (LCC), which animate the challenge on the ground reported that fighting continued on the outskirts of Salaheddin, located in the southwest of the country’s economic capital.
The General Committee of the Syrian revolution, another network of activists, also referred to army reinforcements to Salaheddine “amid fire from heavy machine gun” and fighting between loyalists and rebels.
The assault was given more than a week after the opening of this new front on July 20, the army having been back on top in the capital Damascus which has also seen heavy fighting in areas hostile to the Assad regime.
In recent days, the army, backed by helicopters and tanks, had shelled several districts rebels and sent reinforcements to retake this town 355 km north of Damascus.
Reinforcements are “almost complete” for an offensive-cons, had said Friday AFP a source of security services. But the rebels have settled in small alleys, “making it difficult battle.”
A newspaper close to the Syrian regime had spoken Thursday of “The Mother of all Battles” by evoking the Aleppo.
According to information gathered by an AFP correspondent on the spot, the rebels have not started any major operation for two days, saving their ammo for some type RPG anti-tank rockets.
“The civilians have left the neighborhood,” he told AFP in a fighter Salaheddine reached by telephone.
According to the AFP correspondent, residents now have great difficulty to get supplies of bread.
The Battle of Aleppo is “extremely important for both parties,” said Ignatius Leverrier, a former French diplomat who was stationed in Syria.
“For the regime, it is a commercial city in which he has many allies, especially among businessmen on which it intends to finance part of its war effort,” he said.
“For the rebels, the city is key to Northern Syria,” added the expert. “By taking it, they will finally ensure the protected area claimed for months by the Syrian revolution in order to treat their wounded and give refuge to deserters and their families.”
“By accumulating heavy military means around Aleppo, Bashar is about to commit new massacres against his people”, on Friday denounced the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The United States, who reported fearing a massacre, condemned in advance, “The violence from both sides must stop for the sake of the suffering civilians of Syria.” Assad “must call off this assault,” said Hague, adding: ”This utterly unacceptable escalation of the conflict could lead to a devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster.”
London has in turn warned against “a humanitarian disaster” while Rome called “everyone” to “increase the pressure on Assad up to prevent another massacre” in Aleppo.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged “the Syrian government to stop the offensive.”
Through Syria, repression and the fighting has claimed more than 120 dead Friday, according to OSDH, while the victims are dozens every day in the country.
Since the beginning of the revolt in March 2011, more than 19,000 people died according to OSDH.
News Gathered by India News
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