Militants led by al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) advanced closer to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on November 28 as a part of their large-scale offensive against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), codenamed Operation Deterrence of Aggression.
Following heavy clashes with the SAA in the western Aleppo countryside, the militants managed to capture the towns of Khan al-Assal, Kafrnaha, Yaqed Al-Adas, and the 1st Engineers’ Village. Khan al-Assal is located around six kilometers away from the western entrance of Aleppo city.
The militants also advanced to the southwest of the city, capturing the town of al-Zarba which is located on the strategic M5 highway, the main route to Aleppo. The Sham FM pro-government radio station reported that the highway was closed by the SAA.
In the morning, HTS and its allies, including the Turkistan Islamic Party, Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad and cluster of Turkey-backed armed factions, launched a separate assault in southern Idlib countryside and reportedly managed to capture the towns of Dadikh, Kafr Batikh, and Sheikh Ali, which are located along the M5.
Heavy clashes were also reported in the nearby town of Saraqib. However, the key town remains in the hands of the SAA and other pro-government factions.
Warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Arab Air Force continued to target militants between the western Aleppo countryside and the southern Ilib countryside.
Meanwhile, reinforcements from the 25th Special Mission Forces Division, 4th Armored Division, the Republican Guards, the Special Mission Forces and other formations of the SAA have reportedly begun to arrive to the fronts in both Aleppo and Idlib.
https://southfront.press/clashes-approach-syrias-aleppo-city-as-rebels-make-more-gains-videos/