On November 29, 2024, the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Aleppo for the first time in years. Despite support from Russian and Syrian airstrikes, the government troops of the Assad regime collapsed and withdrew within a single day.
For years, Aleppo had been one of the central battlegrounds of the Syrian war. The city, long a fiercely contested frontline between rebels and the regime, became a symbol of the conflict. Over 30,000 civilians lost their lives—many of them killed by the regime’s and its allies‘ indiscriminate barrel bombs. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, and Aleppo was deeply divided—both socially and economically.
In 2023, a devastating earthquake struck the region, further worsening Aleppo’s dire situation. By the end of November 2024, Aleppo became the starting point for the rapid collapse of Assad’s decades-long rule. The first days after the regime‘s fall were marked by euphoria, shock, and uncertainty about the future.
On November 29, 2024, the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Aleppo for the first time in years. Despite support from Russian and Syrian airstrikes, the government troops of the Assad regime collapsed and withdrew within a single day.
For years, Aleppo had been one of the central battlegrounds of the Syrian war. The city, long a fiercely contested frontline between rebels and the regime, became a symbol of the conflict. Over 30,000 civilians lost their lives—many of them killed by the regime’s and its allies‘ indiscriminate barrel bombs. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, and Aleppo was deeply divided—both socially and economically.
In 2023, a devastating earthquake struck the region, further worsening Aleppo’s dire situation. By the end of November 2024, Aleppo became the starting point for the rapid collapse of Assad’s decades-long rule. The first days after the regime‘s fall were marked by euphoria, shock, and uncertainty about the future.