Jabhat Al-Nusra Surprise Attack in West Aleppo Fails; Syrian Army in Full Control of Al-Zahra

The Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with their allies from Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen and Jund Al-Aqsa – detonated a tunnel bomb at the Aleppo Orphanage inside the Al-Zahra Association Quarter of Aleppo City on Monday morning, wounding four soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) before clashes broke-out between the opposing parties.

Following the detonation of the tunnel bomb, the Al-Qaeda affiliates captured the Great Prophet Mosque of Aleppo in northwest Al-Zahra, resulting in their subsequent advance to the dilapidated Air Force Intelligence building located to the east of the mosque; however, this advance did not go as planned for Jabhat Al-Nusra and company, as the Syrian Armed Forces proved unwilling to concede any ground to them.

Firefights between the Syrian Armed Forces and the Islamist rebel factions that make up “Ansar Al-Shari’ah” (Jabhat Al-Nusra is the largest unit) engulfed the Air Force Intelligence building, Aleppo Orphanage, Aleppo Courthouse, and Building 11, leaving a number of dead fighters on both sides.

Unfortunately for Jabhat Al-Nusra and company, their surprise assault was eventually repelled by the Syrian Arab Army, National Defense Forces (NDF), and the predominately Palestinian “Liwaa Al-Quds” (Jerusalem Brigades) after six hours of non-stop fighting inside the Al-Zahra Association Quarter.

Not long after the Al-Qaeda affiliates withdrew from the Al-Zahra Association Quarter, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) pounded their positions at the Al-Layramoun District, destroying a number of armored vehicles used by the Islamist rebel forces.