Residents fleeing Syria's second largest city, Aleppo, say the final route out of the province has been blocked, after the town of Khanaser, on the last motorway linking the city with southern towns, was captured by militants, trapping civilians and soldiers.
Syrian military troops said they recaptured the town amid heavy fighting, but the road remains closed as violence intensifies on the outskirts of Aleppo.
Ahmad, 35, fled from Aleppo to Homs using the Ithriya-Khanaser motorway before it was fully shut and said the road was no longer safe.
“We passed by Khanaser as we were leaving and a sniper was firing at the highway, we saw several cars get hit, and the bullets were whistling by and above us, the road out of Aleppo was dangerous before and now it is impassable," he told The National. "It will be a long time before we come back, this is like the early days [of the conflict] Khanaser was the only way out.”
Aleppo resident
Ahmad, who works as a jeweller near the old city of Aleppo, said “the city is lost, gone, it was overrun and people were running for their lives, and we managed to escape barely, millions have remained”.
Russian and Syrian air strikes have been relentless since the city fell last week, with attacks on several areas. “Russian and Syrian air strikes started with full force on Sunday,” Ahmad said. “We don’t know what will happen, it's scary for those who are in the city. We want to go to Tartus as it will be safer, but we left everything behind.”
Rasha Nabelsi, who remained behind in the city, told The National that air strikes needed to stop because many civilians are stuck in the city. “I ask all media professionals, officials, public opinion leaders, influencers, and religious bodies inside and outside Syria, and from any political party or otherwise, to appeal to all parties on all digital, visual and audio platforms to stop the joint air strikes on the city of Aleppo and its civilian people.
“Yesterday, Syrian and Russian aviation began a bombing campaign on the city of Aleppo and its neighbourhoods. We, as civilians, refuse to be human shields or victims of any armed action by any party. Every time I hear the sound of planes flying above my heart stops in fear because the raids are landing on us.”
This comes as the city's water supply was cut off, and an estimated three million people remain. Most lived safely before this escalation.
Curfews were enforced in Aleppo city on Friday and Saturday, leading to the suspension of all public services, including universities and schools. Hospitals were inundated with injured patients and banks and ATMs were running low on cash.
Militant demands
Amid rising tension between Kurdish fighters and extremist militant groups around Aleppo, the Military Operations Management group representing the opposition coalition called on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to withdraw from their enclave in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood, in return for safe passage and protection.
The Kurdish fighters in Sheikh Maqsoud previously rushed to capture nearby districts of Bustan Basha and Ashrafiyeh, after Syrian government troops retreated.
Mazloum Abdi said “events in north-west Syria developed rapidly and suddenly as our forces face intense attacks from several sides, with the collapse of the Syrian army and its allies”.
Ivan Hassib, a Kurdish journalist from north-eastern Syria, told The National: “The SDF has not yet left Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, but sources are talking about negotiations to secure a safe exit for the SDF and civilians trapped will head towards north-eastern Syria”.
“I believe that the SDF has no choice but to withdraw since it has become besieged by HTS [Hayat Tahrir Al Sham] fighters and the national army loyal to Turkey. There is relative calm [in Sheikh Maqsoud], however, there is sometimes gunfire and explosions in nearby locations. It’s under siege. The water has been cut off from the neighbourhood for two days, and there is difficulty in providing bread and food supplies.”
Given the growing complexity of the dynamics between different sides, it is clear that pressure is being exerted on the SDF, Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Kurdish studies expert told The National.
“There is not one opposition. You have the HTS and you have the Turkish-backed SNA [Syrian National Army] groups," he added. "The SDF lost the battle in Tall Rifat with the SNA. The SDF is still in Sheikh Maqsoud and it’s not clear if they have accepted the deal that was offered by HTS, so far, they have denied.”
Concerns in Iraq
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani voiced concern over the unfolding events in Syria in a phone call with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
During the call, Mr Al Sudani informed Mr Erdogan that Iraq “will not remain a spectator to the grave consequences in Syria, particularly the ethnic cleansing of various communities and sects”, according to the official readout.
“Iraq has previously suffered from terrorism and the repercussions of extremist groups controlling areas in Syria and will not allow such events to be repeated,” the statement said. He underscored the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and unity, pledging Iraq’s efforts to ensure the security of both nations.
He underlined that Islamic countries should “avoid internal divisions, and what is happening in Syria today benefits the Zionist entity which has deliberately hit Syrian army positions, paving the way for terrorist groups to seize additional areas in Syria”, referring to recent Israeli strikes inside Syria.
