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Syrian pro-government forces in the Masaken Hanano district in eastern Aleppo on Sunday as regime forces seized it from rebels
Syrian pro-government forces in the Masaken Hanano district in eastern Aleppo on Sunday as regime forces seized it from rebels

Syrian forces make sweeping gains in eastern Aleppo

Syrian regime forces have made large territorial gains in eastern Aleppo, driving a wedge through the middle of the zone that has been held by rebels for more than four years. Government forces and armed Shia groups loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began a renewed push toward eastern Aleppo on November 15 with airstrikes following a three-week lull.

But the regime's gains in the territory have been much faster than expected, and the bombing and shelling hasn't slowed.

"Bodies are on the ground. We can't do anything because the shelling is too heavy," said Ahmad Edrees, a resident from Karam al-Baik on the current frontline.

"There are dozens of casualties and only one clinic is left," he told CNN, calling the situation unbearable.

Syrian pro-government forces in the Masaken Hanano district in eastern Aleppo on Sunday as regime forces seized it from rebels.

Forces on Saturday broke through rebel defense lines on the ground and by Monday had taken much of the area's north.

Assad has vowed to take the whole city, which has been divided between the largely regime-held west and rebel-held east. Taking all of Aleppo would mark a turning point in the war that has raged for more than five years, giving the regime strong momentum.

A fighter in eastern Aleppo told CNN that rebels had withdrawn from northern areas, almost splitting eastern Aleppo into two.

There's minimal resistance from rebels, several civilians on the ground told CNN, and it appears they have fled from around 20% of their territory. The Syrian regime has taken over half of those areas, sources told CNN.

Among neighborhoods now in regime hands is eastern Aleppo's biggest district, Masaken Hanano, while on Monday forces retook another key district, al-Sakhour, according to Syrian state media.

Nowhere to run

More than 500 people have already been killed in the past two weeks since the push began, according to the self-styled Syria Civil Defence volunteer rescue group, also known as the "White Helmets." Another 1,800 have been injured, the group said.

An estimated 250,000 people have been trapped in eastern Aleppo since July, when regime forces besieged the area -- among them, UNICEF says, are 100,000 children.

Hundreds have started to flee, some of them to government-controlled western Aleppo.

Others are too afraid to use the government's "human corridors," fearing reprisal once they escape. But staying to see the regime regain neighborhoods is not an option for many either.

"Shelling, lack of food, lack of treatment and freezing is nothing in comparison with being in hands of Assad and his allies," tweeted a resident activist there.

Eastern Aleppo has become the epicenter of Syria's civil war -- the government has besieged it a number of times.

Its most recent siege has cut off both the rebels and civilians from the outside world, leaving communities on the brink of starvation -- without sufficient food, clean water, fuel and medical supplies.

 Credit: CNN

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