(Zaman Al Wasl-NOW)- Ahrar al-Sham's spokesman defended the movement stand to not taking part in al-Mallah battles in Aleppo to reopen Castello Road, saying its a military suicide due to regime heavy presence and intrusion difficulties.
Abu Yousef al-Muhajer told Zaman al-Wasl that the powerful rebel group will not leave the besieged rebel-held Aleppo alone. But fighting regime army and allied militias could be in opening new battlefronts, he added.
On Wednesday, Ahrar al-Sham refused to take part in a stalled rebel counteroffensive to reopen Castello Road, the main supply route leading into rebel-held Aleppo, according to the al-Muhajer's Twitter account.
Regime army troops advanced last week into in the Al-Mallah Farms to approach within a kilometer of the Castello Road, allowing the pro-regime forces to effectively shut the road down with their firepower. Subsequent rebel attacks in the area have all been beaten back.
Enab Baladi news site cited sources within Ahrar al-Sham as saying that the party refused to take part in the latest counterattack due to a “dispute over the military plan” put forth by the Fatah Halab (Conquest of Aleppo) coalition, a coalition of Free Syrian Army-affiliated and Islamist factions.
The sources explained that Ahrar al-Sham rejected Fatah Halab’s plan because it “opened a long and narrow front” that would allow insurgents to become “easy targets for [airstrikes].”
“The attack, which lasted until dawn [Wednesday], was limited to fighters from the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement and other FSA factions in Fatah Halab,” they added.
Although Ahrar al-Sham did not participate in the failed counteroffensive, the sources in the Islamist group insisted that the faction’s fighters would not withdraw from the al-Mallah Farms front and would continue “their steadfastness” in northern Aleppo.
Abu Yousef al-Muhajer told Zaman al-Wasl that the powerful rebel group will not leave the besieged rebel-held Aleppo alone. But fighting regime army and allied militias could be in opening new battlefronts, he added.
On Wednesday, Ahrar al-Sham refused to take part in a stalled rebel counteroffensive to reopen Castello Road, the main supply route leading into rebel-held Aleppo, according to the al-Muhajer's Twitter account.
Regime army troops advanced last week into in the Al-Mallah Farms to approach within a kilometer of the Castello Road, allowing the pro-regime forces to effectively shut the road down with their firepower. Subsequent rebel attacks in the area have all been beaten back.
Enab Baladi news site cited sources within Ahrar al-Sham as saying that the party refused to take part in the latest counterattack due to a “dispute over the military plan” put forth by the Fatah Halab (Conquest of Aleppo) coalition, a coalition of Free Syrian Army-affiliated and Islamist factions.
The sources explained that Ahrar al-Sham rejected Fatah Halab’s plan because it “opened a long and narrow front” that would allow insurgents to become “easy targets for [airstrikes].”
“The attack, which lasted until dawn [Wednesday], was limited to fighters from the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement and other FSA factions in Fatah Halab,” they added.
Although Ahrar al-Sham did not participate in the failed counteroffensive, the sources in the Islamist group insisted that the faction’s fighters would not withdraw from the al-Mallah Farms front and would continue “their steadfastness” in northern Aleppo.
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