Rebels break the siege of Aleppo, but at a cost

The Economist ^ | August 9, 2016 | Staff

[Truth29]

EVER since Russia entered the Syrian civil war on the side of the Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad, rebel groups in Aleppo have been progressively isolated and besieged. In February they lost their main access route to Turkey; and two weeks ago the fighters in the east of the city, with a population of perhaps 250,000, were cut off entirely. It threatened to become the biggest and nastiest siege in the five-year-long war.

Despair, it seems, forced a show of unity by the disparate rebel groups, with striking effect. On the weekend of August 6th-7th, mainstream and jihadist groups used suicide bombers, artillery guns and tanks to break through regime positions. The rebels seized a military complex, captured weapons and ammunition, and opened a narrow corridor into areas that have been under government blockade for weeks.

[Truth29]

And the war grinds on with US proxies and weapons fighting Bashir Assad, Russia and allies. There will now be more Russian bombing and more refugees.

[DesertRhino]

Hopefully the Syrian army can cut that place off again, if this report is true.

[silverleaf]

Bump

[VanShuyten]

“Despair, it seems, forced a show of unity by the disparate rebel groups...”

Are these the good rebels or the bad ones? I get confused.

[MinorityRepublican]

What’s going on in this war? The stalemate haven’t been broken yet?

[Fitzy_888]

Assad is an Alewite, which is a Shiite sect. Trust the upper ranks, pilots and key personnel in the military were Alewite or Shiite.

Syria is almost 70% Sunni Muslim. This percentage was probably reflected in Assad’s infantry and those Sunni’s long ago deserted.

You can hold territory without infantry. Assad can’t make gains and hold them.

This could go on for decades.

[Fitzy_888]

Make that:

You can’t hold territory without infantry.

[MinorityRepublican]

Assad needs to set up a rump state on the coast with Damascus and Aleppo in it. Offer truce to rebels if they leave Aleppo. Then the rebels can hold on to the rest of the country in the desert and name their nation Jihadstan.