The Syrian government claims to have closed a gap briefly opened by militants on the eastern side of the besieged city of Aleppo. Radio Sputnik’s Brian Becker spoke with Syrian analyst Kevork Almassian, who grew up in Aleppo, to the discuss the current situation.
According to Almassian, the current fight for Aleppo is not only part of the fight against Daesh, but is also a continuation of a years-long struggle by regional powers seeking to impose their influence over a strategically important city. Almassian pointed out that Aleppo has been a "gate" to the Ottoman Empire, to which Turkey is today's inheritor, to impose its influence over the Middle East.