Terrorism & Security

Syria's regime, rebel troops amass in Aleppo for 'mother of all battles'

Few expect Syrian rebels to be the victors in the battle for Aleppo, but just putting up a fight in this strategic city will send a strong message to the regime.

By Ariel Zirulnick, Staff writer / July 27, 2012

In this image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News and accessed Tuesday, July 24, a Free Syrian Army solider drives a Syrian military tank in Aleppo, Syria.

Ugarit News via AP video/AP

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Ariel Zirulnick

Middle East Editor

Ariel Zirulnick is the Monitor's Middle East editor, overseeing regional coverage both for CSMonitor.com and the weekly magazine. She is also a contributor to the international desk's terrorism and security blog.

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Thousands of rebel and regime troops have gathered in and around the northern Syrian city of Aleppo and many more are on their way, setting the stage for what one rebel commander said would be the "mother of all battles."

According to CNN, 18 of the 22 rebel military brigades are currently stationed in and around Aleppo and another 300 troops are on their way. Meanwhile, the Syrian Army has been steadily withdrawing troops and tanks from other towns and villages and dispatching them to Aleppo – a city that, until last week, some expected to remain out of the fray of the Syrian civil war. Free Syrian Army representative Abu Omar al-Halabi told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that since yesterday, 3,000 rebel fighters have joined the 2,500 already in and around Aleppo.

But, according to CNN, 48 of yesterday's 200 deaths across the country happened in this city better known for being a UNESCO World Heritage site. This was the first time Aleppo led the country in death toll, marking it as this week's ground zero.

The United Nations' human rights agency warned today of an "imminent" showdown, according to the Associated Press, while US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told Washington reporters that the US was concerned it would see a "massacre" in Aleppo. "That's what the regime appears to be lining up for," she said, according to The New York Times.

"The stakes could not be higher," writes BBC's Ian Pannell, who has been reporting from inside Aleppo. "For the armed opposition losing would be a disastrous setback that, at the very least, could neuter their revolution for months. For President Bashar al-Assad, losing Aleppo could be the tipping point that presages the downfall of his government."