Next Syrian Army offensive will target southern Aleppo: source

According to a military source in Damascus, the Syrian Arab Army sent reinforcements to Aleppo this week to participate in a large-scale offensive at the southern front of this governorate.

The source said the Syrian Arab Army troops are being tasked with capture the dozens of villages of towns located between Al-Hader and the Aleppo-Idlib Highway (M-5).

Similar to their operation in Idlib, the Syrian Arab Army is seeking to establish more points along this strategic highway, while also pushing their way to the key city of Saraqib,

In order to do so, the Syrian Army will need to capture the towns of Khan Touman and Al-‘Eis, which are currently under the control of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and their militant allies.

Furthermore, the Turkish military currently has one of their largest observation posts in the town of Al-‘Eis, so the Syrian Army will have to fight their way around this installation.

However, if they are successful in doing so, they will be able to secure the southern part of Aleppo city for the first time since the start of the war.

This new Aleppo operation is expected to start in the new year, but the official date has not been set, the source told Al-Masdar News.