The campaign
{{One source, section, date=January 2021Army advances, rebel-held Aleppo surrounded
{{main, Aleppo offensive (June–July 2016) The offensive began on 25 June, with heavy Russian air-strikes{{cite web, url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/heavy-russian-airstrikes-aleppo/, title=Heavy Russian airstrikes on Aleppo amid preparations for huge ground offensive, first=Izat, last=Charkatli, date=25 June 2016, work=Rebel counter-offensive, both sides besieged
{{main, Aleppo offensive (July–August 2016) On 31 July, the Army of Conquest launched a counter-offensive both south and north of Aleppo in an attempt to lift the siege on the rebel-held areas of the city. Fierce fighting was reported at the Al-Castillo Highway, while the rebels managed to capture the Al-Hikma school and two hills on the southern outskirts of Aleppo, which constituted an advanced Army defense line. The wide-scale rebel counter-attack reportedly included 8,000–10,000 fighters, 95 tanks, hundreds of rocket launchers and a large number of suicide-bombers.{{cite web, url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/08/03/Syrian-army-allies-counter-attack-to-regain-lost-ground-in-Aleppo.html, title=Syrian army, allies counter-attack to regain lost ground in Aleppo, newspaper=Al Arabiya, date=3 August 2016{{cite web, url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-rolls-back-jihadist-gains-southern-aleppo/, title=Syrian Army rolls back jihadist gains in southern Aleppo, first=Leith, last=Fadel, work=Al-Masdar, date=3 August 2016, access-date=3 August 2016, archive-date=14 May 2019, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514161513/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-rolls-back-jihadist-gains-southern-aleppo/, url-status=dead By evening, the rebels also took control of Al-'Amariyah village and reached the nearby 1070 Al-Hamadaniyah Housing Project where fighting continued. During the night, the 1070 Al-Hamadaniyah Housing Project was also taken by the rebels.{{cite web, url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-rebels-capture-key-site-aleppo-city/, title=Jihadist rebels capture key site in Aleppo City, first=Leith, last=Fadel, work=Al-Masdar, date=1 August 2016, access-date=1 August 2016, archive-date=14 May 2019, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514172912/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-rebels-capture-key-site-aleppo-city/, url-status=dead The next day, the rebels once again advanced and took control of Mushrifah village (also known as Sharfa), that is situated on a hill that overlooks the Al-Assad Military Academy. Over the next several days, back-and-forth fighting took place for control of the 1070 Housing Project neighborhood, Huwayz village, Al-'Amariyah and several hills.{{cite web, url=http://www.syriahr.com/2016/08/05/%d9%85%d8%b9%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%83-%d8%b9%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%81%d8%a9-%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%87%d8%af%d9%87%d8%a7-%d9%85%d8%ae%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%ad%d9%86%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%88%d8%ac%d9%86%d9%88%d8%a8-%d8%ba/, title=معارك عنيفة يشهدها مخيم حندرات وجنوب غرب مدينة حلب ومزيد من الشهداء في أحياء بالمدينة, work=SOHR, last=user4, access-date=6 August 2016 On 5 August, a rebel attack on the Military Academy started{{cite news, url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-aleppo-idUSKCN10G22V, title=Syrian rebels storm Aleppo artillery base, army says attack repelled, date=6 August 2016, access-date=6 August 2016, newspaper=Reuters Shortly after their advances at the Military Academy, rebels both inside and outside Aleppo advanced into the Ramouseh neighborhood, linked up and captured it. With this advance, the rebels managed to cut the government's supply line into the government-held part of west Aleppo and announced the Army's siege of rebel-held east Aleppo had been broken. Since the rebel offensive started, at least 130 civilians had been killed, most by rebel shelling of government-held districts. 500 fighters on both sides also died, mostly rebels. At the end of the day, the rebels were in control of the entire Military Academy base and the Ramouseh district.Factions incur regime, the Russians, the Iranians and the Lebanese Hezbollah the biggest spiritual and military loss since 2013Fighting continues, Army retakes territory
{{main, Aleppo offensive (August–September 2016) On 7 August, fighting was still continuing in the Ramouseh district, where it was confirmed the Army was still in control of parts of the area. The government, backed by Russia, launched an intensive air-strike campaign, in which one of the military schools captured by the rebels was reportedly leveled. Meanwhile, the rebels were putting up a "massive" defense to protect the new corridor.{{cite web, url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/08/07/world/middleeast/ap-ml-syria.html, title=Syrian Rebels Breach Government-Imposed Siege on Aleppo, date=7 August 2016, access-date=26 August 2016, newspaper=The New York Times The next day, the Ramouseh district was confirmed to be completely under rebel control, while the Army recaptured al-Sanobrat hill. On 11 August, the rebels attacked the government supply route to Aleppo betweenAftermath – Ceasefire and government assault on East Aleppo
{{main, Aleppo offensive (September–October 2016), Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016), Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016) After the implementation of the ceasefire in mid-September, the Syrian Army withdrew its forces from the Castello road to allow UN humanitarian aid into the eastern parts of the city. However, rebel groups outside the city did not allow humanitarian aid convoys into Aleppo. Later, as Russian Marines and Syrian Red Crescent personnel controlling Castello road came under fire by rebel groups, the SAA redeployed its soldiers once again. On 16 September, the Russian Air Force carried out numerous airstrikes around Aleppo for the first time since the ceasefire had been reached four days earlier. On 19 September, an aid convoy from theSee also
*References
{{Reflist, 30em {{Syrian Civil War Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2016 Aleppo in the Syrian civil war Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the al-Nusra Front Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Hezbollah Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Quds Force Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Russia Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian Democratic Forces Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the People's Protection Units June 2016 events in Syria July 2016 events in Syria August 2016 events in Syria September 2016 events in Syria