Over the past few weeks, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has swept through dozens of Aleppo’s rebel-held districts during a massive counter-insurgency campaign.

Now, with opposition control of Aleppo a shadow of its former self, the SAA is expected to deploy the vanguard of its elite forces around the Aleppo pocket in a bid to bring Syria’s largest city fully back under government control for the first time since 2012.

For a map timeline of recent advances, check out the video below:



Barely a handful of neighborhoods are still held by insurgents; should Islamist commanders refuse to relinquish control of their last territory in the provincial capital of Aleppo through diplomacy, the SAA will likely unleash all kinds of firepower to retake it.

Momentarily however, clashes are suspended by the SAA and Russia in Aleppo city due to humanitarian concerns. Thousands of civilians are being evacuated as we speak.