Last updated: Friday 23 December

Final evacuations leave Assad in control

The departure of 4,000 rebel fighters and civilians on Thursday completed the evacuation of what was formerly rebel-held eastern Aleppo. They left the last square kilometre of territory which had remained under nominal rebel control after a Russia and Turkey-backed ceasefire effectively ended the battle on 13 December. Since then, about 40,000 people have left the city amid worsening weather and humanitarian conditions in a fragile and slow-moving evacuation operation.

Rebels had held eastern Aleppo since 2012, but a year of Russian bombing allowed pro-regime forces to gradually encircle their enclave before finally overrunning it in less than a month. With Syria’s civil war far from over, tens of thousands of former Aleppo residents now face a precarious future as refugees in rebel-held Idlib.

Wednesday 14 December



Uncertainty reigns over evacuation plan

With rebel-held Aleppo reduced to a small pocket on the west bank of the Aleppo river and reports of Iranian-backed militias killing civilians in newly captured territory in what the UN called a “meltdown of humanity”, Russia and Turkey made a deal to evacuate rebels and civilians to Idlib province. But on the first full day of the ceasefire, renewed shelling and the refusal of the Iranian-backed militias who had led the regime assault to allow the evacuation put it in doubt.

The evacuation of east Aleppo – if it goes ahead – means the opposition will cede the entire city, Syria’s former commercial capital, to the Assad regime, surrendering the last major urban stronghold where it maintained an active presence.

Monday 12 December



Battle enters final phase with latest regime gains

Rebel-held territory was collapsing rapidly during Monday as pro-regime forces continuously rolled back the frontline in eastern Aleppo. Conditions inside the fast-shrinking rebel enclave were described as “doomsday” by one resident, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting the rebels had already withdrawn from all territory on the east bank of the Aleppo river.

The day began with a pro-regime advance into the strategic districts of Sheikh Saeed and Saliheen, preceded by some of the most intense bombardment of the war. The fall of these areas alone meant the rebels had lost control of at least 90% of the territory they held before the regime launched its ground offensive just over two weeks ago.

Wednesday 7 December



Rebels withdraw from Old City

The Old City of Aleppo, long a bastion of the Syrian opposition, fell into regime hands after the rebels defending it withdrew fearing being cut off after government soldiers and Iranian-backed militia seized the neighbouring districts of Bab al-Hadid and Aqyul. Pro-Assad forces also took parts of Marjeh as opposition ranks were reportedly divided on whether to leave the city or make a last stand.

Tuesday 6 December



Regime advance nears Old City

Pro-government troops moved to within a kilometre of Aleppo’s ancient citadel on Tuesday as rebel-held districts continued to fall. With up to 70% of eastern Aleppo now back in regime hands, there was fierce fighting as rebels lost control of more territory east of the narrow streets which surround the citadel. Regime forces built on momentum generated over a second consecutive weekend of heavy bombardment and rapid advances. On Monday, Russia vetoed a draft UN security council resolution calling for a ceasefire, ensuring its ally in Damascus remained free to build on its advantage.

Monday 28 November



Rebels lose a third of their territory in two days

Pro-regime forces led by Iraqi Shia militias and Hezbollah seized control of up to one-third of rebel-held eastern Aleppo after another day of rapid advances. Rebel defences appear to have been fatally weakened since pro-regime airstrikes resumed with renewed ferocity nearly two weeks ago.

The capture earlier in the day of the strategic Sakhour district consolidated Sunday’s regime gains into a wedge that effectively cut rebel territory in two. This manoeuvre briefly left open a small corridor through which rebels withdrew to a new frontline farther south, before pro-regime forces moved to occupy the entire northern third of the rebel enclave.

Sunday 27 November

Regime forces make significant breakthrough

After 12 days of intense preparatory airstrikes, forces supporting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, launched a major ground assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. The attack was concentrated on the northern part of the rebel enclave; pro-regime forces had been consolidating their control north of this frontline since the siege began in late August. Opposition fighters retreated in the face of a regime advance that captured the areas of Jabal Badro and Masaken Hanano, which was the first district taken by rebels in 2012. Thousands of civilians fled to Kurdish and government-held territory.