ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Syrian army on Saturday said they are preparing for a counterattack to retake control of “large parts” of Aleppo city where they admitted they were defeated by rebel forces.
Syrian troops fought “fierce battles” with a coalition of rebels, spearheaded by the jihadist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), over more than 100 kilometers of territory “to stop their advance,” the defense ministry said in a statement, adding that they suffered tens of casualties.
The intensity of the clashes “prompted our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defence lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counterattack,” the ministry said.
It admitted that “terrorist organizations were able, during the past hours, to enter large parts of Aleppo city’s neighborhoods,” but said the rebels were not able to “solidify their positions due to the continued targeting of our armed forces with concentrated and forceful strikes.”
The Islamist fighters entered the city of Aleppo on Friday afternoon after taking several villages in the surrounding countryside and gaining ground for the first time in years. The surprise offensive was launched on Wednesday.
The Syrian army said they are preparing for a counterattack and pledged to carry out their “national duty” to expel the rebels and "restore the control of the state and its institutions over the entire city and its countryside.”
According to opposition media outlets, the rebels have taken control of nearly half of Aleppo.
Syrian troops have withdrawn from Shahba, a town to the north of Aleppo that was held by Kurdish forces while the Syrian army protected its borders, a local source told Rudaw on Saturday.
Kurdish forces have also made deployments, moving into Aleppo International Airport and other areas of the city, according to the Britain-based conflict monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.