Battles erupt in south Aleppo as Syrian Army attempts to advance in strategic district

On the evening of the 3rd of October, the Syrian Arab Army supported by allied militias launched a massive offensive in southern Aleppo.

The large-scale assault primarily targeted the district of Sheikh Sa’eed and the missile base of Khan Touman. Heavy clashes are reportedly ongoing as the Syrian Army attempts to gain a foothold in both regions.

Securing a presence in Sheikh Sa’eed will be especially hard for the government forces as there’s a vast exposed space around the embattled neighborhood. Such a feat would place rebel positions in Al-Sukkari at grave danger while enabling Syrian troops to access several other east Aleppo districts previously inaccessible to them.

All the while, the Russian Air Force is pummeling the jihadist rebels’ supply lines in both the city and its southern countryside. Both the Syrian and Russian governments seem exceedingly intent on expelling the insurgent presence from the nation’s industrial capital in the months leading up to the Obama administration’s expiration.