Continuing where they left off on Monday, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with their allies from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, Free Syrian Army (FSA), and Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen – resumed their brutal assault on the provincial capital of the Aleppo Governorate, where they launched another series of attacks on the Syrian Armed Forces’ defensive positions around this historical city on Monday morning.
Following their failed entry into the Al-Rashideen District on Monday, Jabhat Al-Nusra and their allies launched over 80 mortars and rockets in the direction of civilian neighborhoods (3 civilians killed) before they would conduct another assault at this imperative area in western Aleppo, capturing seven building blocks from the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Liwaa Al-Quds (Jerusalem Brigades) after a number of clashes immersed this area .
According to a National Defense Forces source in Aleppo City, the Al-Qaeda group and their allies sent wave after wave of armed combatants to overwhelm the Liwaa Al-Quds and NDF fighters entrenched near the Al-Rashideen District; this eventually resulted in their subsequent withdrawal from the western sector of the district.
The source further added that the Syrian Armed Forces suffered 11 casualties during the intense clashes with Jabhat Al-Nusra; however, he was unable to provide the exact number of Islamist fighters killed, but he did specify the number was estimated around 35 enemy combatants.
Despite numerous claims by Jabhat Al-Nusra social media activists in regards to their militants entering the Al-Khalidiyah Quarter of Aleppo City, sources from the Syrian Armed Forces have confirmed that this was in fact fabricated; the militant groups attempted to breach the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses, but were repelled before they could advance into the area.
North of Aleppo City, the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra – in coordination with Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen and Jund Al-Aqsa – attacked the town of Bashkoy from their positions at Rityan, resulting in their infiltration into this area – clashes are reportedly ongoing between Nusra and the NDF at the western sector of the town.
