Syria army takes rebel-held Aleppo district — military source
Government forces advance in post-ceasefire operation, using aerial bombardment, artillery and ground troops
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DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian government troops on Tuesday took control of a central rebel-held district in Aleppo city, where the army is pressing an operation to retake opposition territory, a military source said.
“The army retook control of all of the Farafira district northwest of the Aleppo citadel after neutralizing many terrorists. Units are now demining the area,” the source told AFP.
He said the advance “comes as a continuation of the military operation that was announced that includes an aerial component and an artillery and ground component.”
Syria’s army announced an operation to retake the opposition-held east of Aleppo city on Thursday, days after a week-long ceasefire broke down.
Since then, Syrian and Russian aircraft have pounded eastern neighborhoods relentlessly, killing dozens, according to a monitor.
The capture marked the first advance on the ground for government troops inside the city since they began the operation.
Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012, and the frontline has remained largely static despite continuous violence.
In recent months, government troops have surrounded the eastern portion of the city, laying siege to opposition territory.
The Times of Israel Community.