Syria army, civilians reclaim ruined Aleppo streets
ALEPPO, Syria: Syrian troops strengthened their hold over Aleppo on Friday after retaking full control of the city, as residents anxious to return to their homes moved through its ruined streets.
The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo following a landmark evacuation deal that saw thousands of opposition fighters and residents bussed out.
It was the biggest victory for President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in nearly six years of civil war and a major win for his foreign backers, with key ally Russia hailing the ‘very important’ step.
Braving the cold, war-weary residents crossed districts that had become dangerous front lines, eager to return to neighbourhoods they had not seen in years.
Civilians wrapped in coats trekked through the cold, some rolling their belongings on wheelbarrows.
“I came to check on my house, which I haven’t seen in five years,” resident Khaled al-Masri said.
“I really hope my home wasn’t badly damaged.”
The evacuation operation ended more than four years of fierce fighting in Aleppo, which had been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since 2012.
Opposition forces still control an area west of Aleppo and at least six civilians were killed Friday in the first rebel rocket fire on the city since it fell under government control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Later Friday, air raids targeting rebel territory to the west of the city killed three fighters, the Britain-based monitor said.
And near the ancient city of Palmyra, the Islamic State group killed 27 Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in a series of attacks, the Observatory said.
This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria. — Vladimir Putin, Russian President
The evacuation agreement was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporter Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Assad Friday to congratulate him on the ‘liberation’ of Aleppo, the Kremlin said.
“This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria,” it said.
Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo’s recapture, calling it a “very important part of the normalisation in Syria”, saying the next step would be “conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria’s territory”.
The Kremlin also announced Putin had signed an order to expand Russia’s naval facility in the Syrian city of Tartus, while Russian military police had been dispatched to recaptured parts of Aleppo. — AFP