The first offensive by the Syrian army and its allies failed to meet its objectives of completing the cordon of Aleppo and breaking the siege of Nubol and al-Zahraa. Nevertheless, the army was able to hold on to its gains in the town of Bashkoy, after withdrawing from the town of Hardatnin. Pending other imminent rounds, the battles could still pan out in a number of different ways.
Aleppo — The battles in Aleppo have become the most prominent arena of the vast Syrian battlefield. This is to be expected given the city’s significance, as well as its central role in determining the next phase in northern Syria. Aside from the media frenzy of each side’s respective supporters, there is an important detail worth keeping in mind: winning a battle does not mean winning the war.
The Syrian army and its allies want to achieve two strategic goals: completing the cordon around Aleppo, and lifting the siege on the towns of Nubol and al-Zahraa. Naturally, thwarting either of these two goals is a priority for the armed groups.
The recent offensive is the culmination of a longstanding plan initiated by the Syrian army and its allies. All has gone according to this plan so far. The last phase, however, seems to be as difficult as all the previous ones combined, due to a number of factors.