Rebels face onslaught by regime forces after breaking siege of Aleppo

Rebels in Syria's second-largest city were coming under intense aerial bombardment yesterday from forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, less than two days after they fought through regime lines to break a siege of rebel-held east Aleppo.

Activists say intense air strikes have continued unabated after rebels seized Ramouseh, a district in southwest Aleppo, allowing them to open a corridor into besieged areas.

“We are in our trenches but there are insane air strikes of unprecedented ferociousness,” a commander in the rebel coalition told Reuters. “The regime is using cluster and vacuum bombs.”

Over the weekend, rebels in a coalition known as Jaish al-Fatah launched a lightning advance that sealed the conquest of Ramouseh, a key district through which supplies flow to government forces in western Aleppo city.

The advance followed a rare show of unity among the opposition, which began a campaign a week ago involving thousands of fighters working to break the siege of Aleppo.

The coalition includes Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, which last month said it was severing ties with al-Qaeda’s central command and played a key role in the battle.

Aleppo has been a battleground since 2012, when it was stormed by the opposition and divided into a regime-controlled western half and an east under rebel dominion. The east has been left in ruins, pummelled in an unforgiving aerial campaign by the Assad regime.

Imposed siege

Mr Assad’s troops imposed a siege last month after seizing high ground overlooking the Castello Road, the only thoroughfare bringing aid to the east of the city from

Turkey

, which backs the opposition.

The rebel victory in Ramouseh, while technically ending the siege, does not mean there will be immediate relief for residents of east Aleppo. The area remains a war zone under intense bombardment, and it is unlikely the opposition can use it yet to ferry in significant supplies.

The victory also means this vital district for both sides is no longer in government hands, effectively placing residents of western Aleppo under siege.

Aid organisations estimate that more than 1.5 million people are under siege in the west, compared to a quarter of a million civilians still in the east.

Residents and activists in western Aleppo said the prices of basic goods had risen overnight and that there were now shortages of staples such as bread. Humanitarian organisations operating in Syria say the crisis there is likely to be even more devastating, as residents did not expect a siege and therefore did not stockpile any supplies in preparation.

Aid workers that are allowed to operate in government areas in Aleppo only have supplies for those of the population deemed in need, mostly refugees displaced from other areas, so they are likely to have just a month’s supply for just a fraction of those still in the city.

“There are no vegetables or fruits, and no meat or chicken, because there is only five hours of electricity a day and the generators aren’t working because there is no diesel fuel or oil,” said one western Aleppo resident. “The merchants are shit, they are hiding their stock in case [the siege] lasts a long time so they can raise the prices.”

Aid workers

Another resident said she had been unable to find bread after the rebel campaign secured Ramouseh. Their accounts chime with those of aid workers, who say prices of goods have risen by 25-50 per cent in the last couple of days, with limited access to fuel and bread scarcity.

Nor is the situation better in the eastern part of the city, which has endured heavy aerial bombardment by government warplanes. That bombing has meant that, although the siege is technically broken, few supplies have made it through the corridor, which remains a fierce war zone. – (Guardian service)