Breakthrough in Aleppo as the Syrian Army captures strategic district

Breakthrough in Aleppo as the Syrian Army captures strategic district –

In a major development, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) was able to impose full control over the Khalidiyeh neighbourhood and most of the Al-Layramoun Industrial Area this evening after fierce urban clashes with Islamist insurgents defending the districts.

A military source in the area confirmed to Al-Masdar News that elements of the SAA’s 4th Division and the Republican Guards had cleared the final rebel-held buildings in Khalidiyeh while simultaneously taking control of Layramoun’s gas factory, market, and glass factory.

This represents the largest single advance inside Aleppo for years; the city has been locked down in a military stalemate since 2014.

Nevertheless, Islamist rebels are still held up at Layramoun’s bus station while the SAA has fire control over the Layramoun roundabout, a site just 50 meters from the nearest government positions in the area.

Effectively, government troops at Layramoun are now just 2500 meters from linking up with the SAA’s Tiger Forces in northern Aleppo.

A fully zoomable map of the latest offensive is available here.