(Zaman Al Wasl)- As changing distribution of power within the city of Aleppo appeared to have stopped, western and Arab media began speaking about a stop in the Great Epic Battle of Aleppo in conjunction with a Turkish newspaper publishing leaked documents of an American-Russian deal about Aleppo and the Euphrates Shield operation which was launched in September.
Yeni Safak newspaper reported from an undisclosed source about an agreement reached between Turkey and Russia that aims to sabotage American plans in northern Syria according to its description.
Abu Yusef al-Muhajir, Ahrar al-Sham Movement’s military spokesperson clarified for Zaman al-Wasl’s reporter in Aleppo that what the Turkish newspaper published about the Turkish-Russian deal does not affect them since it remains unconfirmed rumors which neither Turkey nor Russia have confirmed. However, al-Muhajir raised the question of what the Russians will take in return for giving up Aleppo in the event the rumors are true.
Regarding the media describing an end to the battle for Aleppo, he explained, “the battle for Aleppo will not stop until the siege on the eastern neighborhoods is ended, and a road is opened between it and the countryside.” He insisted on the need to “distinguish between the stopping of the battle and its quietening.”
Al-Muhajir indicated that the reason for the quietening of the pace of the battle is the preparations underway to launch the second stage of the Great Epic Battle for Aleppo. He considered that the Euphrates Shield operation will take a long time to reach Aleppo, especially after the recent advancement of Islamic State forces at the expense of the joint forces in the battle in the environs of Akhtarin village in Aleppo’s northern countryside.
He said, “the Jaish al-Fateh operation room is determined to break the siege on Aleppo and advance in it because we are dealing with a reality that says that Aleppo is besieged and breaking the siege on the civilians is non-negotiable, and we do not count on such leaks, and we will continue in the battle until the last fighter.”
Regarding the battle’s aims al-Muhajir said, “what we can confirm at the present time is that the battle aims to end the siege on the eastern neighborhoods, and opening a route before its residents, regarding liberating all of Aleppo that can be spoken of after breaking the siege.”
Regarding information circulated about neutralizing the Russian airplanes and the Russian air force not providing any aerial support to the regime forces participating in the battle in Aleppo, al-Muhajir answered, “since the start of yesterday we have witnessed 140 aerial strikes launched by Russian fighter jets on our locations on the al-Assad suburb axis, so can we say that Russia has neutralized its airplanes and it is not targeting us?”
Al-Muhajir considered that talk of neutralization are lies promoted by Russia and its allies for Russia to appear humanitarian especially after it lost its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council recently.
Al-Muhajir directed a message to the residents of the Aleppo’s besieged neighborhoods especially, and Syrians generally, asking them to pray for the rebels and be patient. He reiterated that all participants in the battle for Aleppo are determined to break the siege, and they will not back down until their last drop of blood by his description.
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