Syrian army seizes rebel-held city in the province of Aleppo

Destroyed city after heavy battles between the pro-government
and rebels' forces
(Image: Yahoo News)

The Syrian army and allied forces have seized the rebel-held city of Al-Hader in the northern Province of Aleppo on Thursday, 12 November, according to Syrian state TV quoting military source. This area, held by the rebels fighting against the Asad's regime, is a strategic area.

The military source stated that rebels have fled the city after the Syrian army and pro-government forces took full control of it.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in UK, said that the city of Al-Hader was a stronghold of the rebel forces and their main bastion in the rural southern province, where the major government military offensives backed by the Hezbollah forces and Russian aerial strikes took place during the previous weeks. It was also stated that seizing of Al-Hader city could help the pro-government forces to advance further to the West in Idlib province.

The current Aleppo offensive carried out by Bashar Al-Asad's and allied forces targets a large area to the south of the city and near the highway to Damascus and this is also one of the areas of the multiple massive assaults of the pro-government forces and Russian airstrikes against the forces opposing Al-Asad.

Massive aerial operation and bombing of the areas of Al-Hader and a ground offensive of the pro-government forces left the rebels no choice but to retreat, according to the rebels' statements. The next targets of the pro-Asad forces would be probably the city of Talaat Al-Eiss which was also under the heavy Syrian and Russian bombardment. If this city will be also taken by the pro-government forces it could disrupt rebel lines linking their strongholds in Aleppo province with their bases in the province of Idlib.