On Monday evening, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen and Jund Al-Aqsa – detonated a tunnel bomb underneath the dilapidated Aleppo Orphanage inside the Al-Zahra Association Quarter of west Aleppo, wounding 4 soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the process.
Following the detonation of their tunnel bomb, the Al-Qaeda affiliates that form a group called “Ansar Al-Shari’ah” stormed the Syrian Arab Army’s positions at the western perimeters of the Air Force Intelligence building and the Aleppo Orphanage, where they attempted to bypass the latter’s frontline defenses after they advanced from the Great Mosque of Aleppo.
Despite a powerful assault, the Al-Qaeda factions of Ansar Al-Shari’ah were overpowered by the Syrian Armed Forces at the Air Force Intelligence building; and by another contingent from the SAA, the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the predominately Palestinian “Liwaa Al-Quds” (Jerusalem Brigades) at Building 11, the Aleppo Courthouse, and the Aleppo Orphanage on Monday evening.
According to a military source in Aleppo, the militants of Jabhat Al-Nusra, Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen, and Jund Al-Aqsa suffered over 20 casualties during their assault on the Al-Zahra Association Quarter; meanwhile, the Syrian Armed Forces reported 8 soldiers killed-in-action and 9 others wounded during these intense clashes.
Jabhat Al-Nusra and their allies have repeatedly attempted to capture this decrepit building in the Al-Zahra Association Quarter; however, they have been unsuccessful on every attempt.