Syrian regime forces retreat from Aleppo International Airport

By Omer Koparan and Ethem Emre Ozcan

Aleppo, Syria (AA) - Syria's Assad regime forces continue their retreat as Aleppo International Airport, among other strategic locations, has been left to the PKK/YPG terror group, according to local sources on Saturday.

After the anti-regime armed groups entered the Aleppo city center, Assad forces handed over the Aleppo International Airport in the east of the city, the strategically important towns of Nubl and Zahraa in the northern countryside, the Aleppo Industrial Zone, as well as the Tal Hasil and Tal Aran regions, to the PKK/YPG terrorist organization as of Saturday morning, the sources said.

Since Wednesday, armed groups that have been clashing with regime forces in northern Syria have been advancing rapidly in both the rural areas of Idlib and Aleppo province.

The armed groups since Saturday morning have captured more than 50 villages in the eastern and southeastern parts of Idlib, which were previously under the control of the Assad regime.

Despite the "De-escalation Zones" Agreement reached during the Astana talks, the Syrian regime had captured these villages in 2019 following intense attacks.

On Nov. 27-28, anti-regime groups rapidly advanced from western Aleppo's countryside toward the center, capturing numerous areas in Idlib's countryside on the second day of clashes.​​​​​​​

On Friday, the groups had entered Aleppo’s city center and reached the central districts by evening.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Efe Ozkan