Rebel forces captured Aleppo for the first time since 2016, marking a major shift in the Syrian civil war's balance of power.
Key Facts
- Battle start date
- 29 November 2024
- City captured
- 30 November 2024 (most of Aleppo)
- Previous rebel control
- Last held by rebels in 2016
- Hama fell to rebels
- 5 December 2024
- Lead rebel group
- Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and allied Turkish-backed factions in the Military Operations Command launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian government-held territory. Aleppo had been under Assad administration control since 2016, when pro-government forces expelled rebels following years of fighting. Weakened pro-government defenses created conditions for a rapid rebel advance.
On 29 November 2024, rebel forces entered Aleppo on the third day of their offensive. By 30 November, opposition groups had captured most of the city as pro-government forces collapsed rapidly. The swift takeover marked the first time since 2016 that rebels had seized control of Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city.
Following the fall of Aleppo, rebel forces pushed into the northern Hama countryside. The entire city of Hama subsequently fell to opposition fighters on 5 December 2024, extending rebel territorial gains significantly and demonstrating the collapse of government defensive lines across northwestern Syria.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent