1st LD: Syrian forces storm strategic rebel-held district in Aleppo

The Syrian army successfully recaptured on Sunday the neighborhood of Sakhour in the rebel-held part east of Aleppo city in northern Syria, a military source told Xinhua.

This is considered the latest in a series of victories military forces have achieved recently in that part of the country, stated the source.

Military forces and allied fighters have regained control over the neighborhood of Sakhour and the Jabal Badro district, after capturing the largest rebel-held neighborhood of Masaken Hanano the day before, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

With Sakhour under control, the Syrian army and allies have effectively divided the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo, as the neighborhood lies between the northern and southern parts of eastern Aleppo.

The source said that the Syrian army's rapid advance left rebels in a state of confusion, adding that the Syrian forces and allied fighters are currently advancing into the neighborhood of Babdien and the outskirts of the area of Haidariyeh in eastern Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen news agency said that Syrian warplanes were targeting rebels who fled Sakhour.

A security source in the joint operation room of the Syrian army and its allies in Aleppo said in a statement sent to Xinhua on Sunday that military operations in eastern Aleppo aim to set free the civilians "who have been taken hostage by the rebels."

"As we have previously promised, it's only a matter of short time before all civilians in Aleppo will be set free from the terrorists," the statement said.

The statement added that "we have stressed recently that we will liberate all of Aleppo and everyone can witness the victories of the Syrian army and its allies."

Furthermore, the statement stressed that there is still time to reach a settlement in eastern Aleppo in order to secure evacuation for those wishing to leave, thus saving the city from bloodshed and sparing civilians further agony.

"Our determination to fight the terrorists has increased whatever the sacrifices and the blood of the martyrs of the Syrian army will not go in vain and the victory will be the big prize for every Syrian," the statement said.

It further stressed that "whoever thinks, even for a minute, that the Syrian army and its allies would back down, would be delusional and we will not leave over 200,000 civilians hostages in the hands of the terrorists. This is the final, irreversible decision."

For months, the Syrian government and Russia have been urging rebels to leave Aleppo, offering them safe passages to other rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib.

However, the rebels turned down all offers, which led to intensified violence. Endit