Aleppo is the largest city in Syria, covering an area of 190 km². It is located in the north near the Turkish border, compared to the capital Damascus, which covers only 105 km² and is located in the south near the Lebanese border.
Aleppo is Syria's commercial capital. Before the Syrian war, it had the largest population of any city, with 5.1 million people, compared to Damascus's 1.9 million.
Aleppo is one of the oldest cities in human history. Reports from some global natural history institutions suggest that ancient civilizations thrived in Aleppo as far back as 5000 BC.
Aleppo is one of the most ethnically diverse Arab cities (Arabs, Circassians, Turks, Kurds, Armenians, etc.), and the distinct beauty of Syrians is particularly noticeable among Aleppians.
The War in Aleppo:
The war in Aleppo has been described by many global media outlets as "the mother of all battles in Syria" and "Syria's Stalingrad" due to the massive military effort involved.
The catastrophic losses in Aleppo are hard to fully account for because of the lack of neutral sources. But it is known that over 31,000 people have died in Aleppo alone, the population has decreased from 5 million to 3 million, and more than 400,000 people have been displaced according to UN estimates, with over 2 million displaced according to relief agencies.
Aleppo and Damascus were the last Syrian cities to join the Syrian revolution 2011. It began in Aleppo with spontaneous peaceful protests in several neighborhoods, demanding the lifting of the state of emergency, an end to torture in prisons, and the cessation of the brutal security grip on the people. The protests were later embraced by students at the University of Aleppo, leading to the university being closed by the Syrian regime.
The peak of the revolution in Aleppo, before any military activity, occurred after Bashar al-Assad's regime and allied tribes deployed a large number of Shabiha forces across the city to support the security forces against the protesters. Some estimates put the number of Shabiha at 30,000.
"Shabiha" is an Egyptian term meaning "thugs." Due to the spread of videos showing their brutal torture of protesters, their violent control, their use of blasphemous language worshipping Bashar as their god, and their random killing of citizens and dragging their bodies through the streets, the revolution escalated from demonstrations to attacks, and eventually into a fully-fledged war.
More than 50% of Aleppo's population were among Syria's leading traders and were strong supporters of Bashar's regime due to shared interests. But after the inhumane treatment by security forces and Shabiha, 48 of the city's leading businessmen joined the rebels, providing financial support to purchase weapons, according to CBS News.
Beginning of Armed Resistance:
The rebels' first armed activity was the formation of the "Tawhid Brigade" on July 18, 2012, by some Syrian army leaders who had defected from Bashar's regime, most notably General Abdel Qader Saleh. Over 6,000 volunteer fighters joined, and 29 battalions were formed under this brigade's leadership.
The Tawhid Brigade's primary goal was to expel regime forces and their Shabiha and to provide military and civilian protection to Aleppo's residents. Due to the revolutionary and military pressure from other Syrian cities on the Syrian army and the distance between the capital and Aleppo, the Tawhid Brigade managed to control 70% of the city, particularly the east, center, and south.
The Tawhid Brigade and the other Aleppo rebels were initially reluctant to join the Free Syrian Army (FSA) coordination. Still, they eventually did after Bashar's forces bombed their command centers, destroying several buildings, including the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo, with helicopters and artillery. The mistake was coordinating with some of the "Jabhat al-Nusra" brigades in the city's southeast, which were affiliated with al-Qaeda at the time.
Warring Parties in Aleppo:
By the end of 2012, Aleppo had become a battleground for several factions:
- Kurdish forces controlled the far north.
- Turkmen forces in the northeast.
- Syrian revolution forces in the east and center.
- Jabhat al-Nusra forces in the southeast.
- Hezbollah's army in the southwest.
- The entire east was controlled by the Syrian army, supported by Hezbollah and some Iranian and Russian commanders.
Most factions fought for influence and control except those with alliances and mutual defense agreements. This struggle exhausted all factions and devastated the city itself, including disruptions to services, destruction of infrastructure, and the eventual destruction of homes. Finally, UNESCO declared the "Old City of Aleppo," which was listed as a significant World Heritage Site, destroyed.
Various types of heavy weapons entered the hands of almost all parties, and the sources of these weapons remain undisclosed. However, it is confirmed that they seized military areas in Syria and neighboring Iraq. Later, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons were supplied from neighboring countries with international financial support.
Several truces were brokered between the warring factions, most of them between the FSA and the Syrian army. The goal was to safely evacuate civilians, but unfortunately, these truces were often violated by the Syrian regime, which bombed buildings suspected of sheltering fighters.
Russia's Involvement in the War:
In early 2016, Russia entered the war with its air force to bomb opposition forces' positions in coordination with the regime under the false global pretext of combating ISIS. In reality, according to even the lowest estimates and maps, ISIS has never entered Aleppo because, first, the city is saturated with conflicts, and second, ISIS had already established its control in the east over an area larger than all of Syria.
Putin's reasons for entering the war were numerous, most notably to protect Russia's military bases in Syria, established since the Soviet Union days, and to support his economic and trade interests with the Syrian regime. The biggest reason was to distract his people from Russia's financial crises and international sanctions. Putin's publicly stated reason was the falsehood of combating terrorism.
After violating Turkish airspace and having its aircraft shot down by Erdoğan's direct order, followed by Erdoğan's apology, Putin extended his absolute influence in the Syrian war. He launched a military campaign with public support in Russia, involving religious and political figures who deceived their people into believing that the war in Syria was a war against infidels. A Russian budget was opened to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the bombing.
Russian Tactics in Aleppo:
Putin's initial tactical goal was to completely expel the fighters from Aleppo. However, after they held out for months throughout 2016, despite almost total service disruptions in opposition-held areas, the Russian bombing evolved from targeting opposition positions to targeting service buildings for all Aleppo residents (hospitals, markets, shopping centers, water stations, etc.) to cripple the opposition.
The number of casualties and losses after the Russian campaign far exceeded what they were before Russia's intervention. The majority of internationally banned bombs and explosives were used, according to all international reports, most notably the UN reports. The number of civilian deaths is considered the highest in the last 10 years in all wars and armed conflicts. Additionally, there were child deformities, displacement, and refugee crises.
International Conferences and Media Campaigns:
Several international conferences were held to resolve the Syrian crisis, particularly in Aleppo, after Russia's entry. Still, the veto power always dominated the situation, with Putin rejecting any solutions to resolve the crisis, such as establishing a joint government between the regime and the opposition. Unfortunately, some Arab and Islamic countries sided with him, notably Egypt.
The global media campaign and press coverage of Aleppo were the most prominent since the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. However, many fake photos and videos attributed to Aleppo, which were actually from the 2008 Gaza war, spread widely. While this doesn't diminish the horrors happening in Aleppo, this action mixed lies with facts, causing the crisis to appear less severe to many fair-minded observers, leading to a recent lull in coverage despite the daily atrocities against Aleppo's residents.
Arab and Islamic Role:
Arab and Islamic countries' military roles, especially the largest ones like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, have been limited to logistical support, whether through relief for the residents or financial support that could be directed towards the military effort. As for arms supplies, their deals are not publicly announced, and all speculation is unverified.
The global role of major powers has been limited to some meetings and conferences, with their involvement in Syria focused on striking groups classified as terrorists, such as ISIS, al-Nusra, and, more recently, the Army of Conquest.
Current Situation in Aleppo:
The Syrian regime has announced its control over most areas of Aleppo. Global relief organizations are warning of a disastrous crisis due to the mass displacement of residents from the city - without shelter and in the freezing cold with temperatures below zero - to a small area designated by Bashar al-Assad's forces. In addition, residents who have been arrested, with global news agencies reporting that they have been executed on the spot, include reporters from Reuters and Sky News.
Summary:
The question everyone is asking is, "Who is in the right?"
No one disagrees with the answer that the people always have the right to choose who governs them because they are the source of all authority. Forcing them to accept a rule they don't want is oppression and tyranny. The undeniable reality, which only a biased or dishonest person would deny, is that (Bashar and Putin) are butchers by all international and humanitarian standards. They have committed horrific war crimes against unarmed civilians, punishing them for the actions of armed fighters, regardless of their affiliations.
They killed them in the most brutal ways, starting with sieges and starvation, destroying their infrastructure and essential services, including food and medical supplies, and finally bombing them in their homes along with their families and children using the most terrible weapons. Strategic reports indicate that this was a massive showcase of the quality of Russian weapons in all forms of destruction, a direct military marketing campaign by Putin to build international trust in and purchase Russian weapons.
Conclusion:
The issue of Aleppo is the issue of a people who wanted to live with dignity and honor, only to be attacked by the scum of the earth from all directions, either with weapons or with maliciousness and cruelty. There is no solace in the global silence in the face of the slaughter of innocent, pure lives.