Syrian army holds over two-thirds of eastern Aleppo: Map

A newly-released map shows that the Syrian army troops and their allies are in control of more than two-thirds of eastern Aleppo, which was entirely held by foreign-backed terrorists before the latest advances by the pro-government forces.

The War Media Center, which is affiliated with the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah, published the map on Wednesday, indicating that 78 percent of the eastern Aleppo districts had been recaptured by the Syrian forces.

Meanwhile, some reports said that the Syrian forces had managed to retake Bab al-Nairab neighborhood, southwest of Aleppo Citadel.

Security was also restored to Nour al-Din al-Zenki and al-Khandaq roads as well as the districts of al-Jadidah, Farafra, Agil, Qastal al-Harami, Beit al-Qonas, al-Harami, Bab al-Hadid, Share Bab al-Nasr, al-Hamidiyah, Qadi Askar, al-Mashatiyah and Karah al- Jabal.

Additionally, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian army had wrested full control of the Sheikh Lotfi district and liberated parts of Hay al-Marja.

The UK-based monitoring group also noted that terrorists had confirmed losing some areas between al-Oyoun Hospital and Aleppo Citadel.

Earlier on Wednesday, Syrian government forces managed to liberate the entire neighborhoods in Aleppo's Old City. 

"The situation was very difficult," said Um Abdu as she left Aleppo’s Bab al-Hadid neighborhood, adding, "The gunmen were using us to protect themselves... but then the army came and we were able to leave."

Aleppo gains ‘strategic victory’

In another development on Wednesday, Syria’s National Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar hailed the army's advance against militants in Aleppo as a "strategic victory" that will prevent foreign intervention.

"Those who believed in the Syrian triumph know that [the terrorists'] morale is at its lowest and that these collapses that have begun are like domino tiles," he told reporters in the capital, Damascus.

Syria has been gripped by deadly foreign-sponsored militancy for over five years. The situation in Aleppo is of particular concern as the city has turned into a major frontline in the Damascus government’s anti-terror fight.

Backed by Russia’s air cover, the Syrian forces have dealt heavy blows to militants over the past two weeks and look closer than ever to regaining full control over Aleppo.

12 killed, dozens wounded in militant fire

Separately on Wednesday, militants launched rocket attacks on Aleppo’s residential areas of Maysalon, al-Masharika, al-Martini, al-Iza’a and al-Azamyeh, causing significant material damage to the regions’ infrastructure.

An unnamed source at the Aleppo Police Command told the official SANA news agency that the raids left 12 people dead and 64 more injured, some of them in critical condition.

The source added that most of the casualties were children and women.

Elsewhere, in the militant-held al-Fu'ah town in Syria's Idlib province, two other Syrians were wounded in mortar attacks by Jaish al-Fatah terrorists.

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