Civilians Pay the Price With Aleppo Poised to Fall

President Assad's forces on brink of reclaiming city from rebels
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 29, 2016 10:10 AM CST
Civilians Pay the Price With Aleppo Poised to Fall
Residents are seen fleeing the fighting from eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo.   (The Rumaf via AP)

Bashar al-Assad's government forces in Syria are poised to reclaim Aleppo, and two weeks of attacks have displaced thousands of residents. Here's a look at developments:

  • The big picture: Aleppo would give Assad control of Syria's five biggest cities, meaning it's likely he's going to survive the years-long rebel uprising, observes an analysis at the New York Times. But he shouldn't get too excited: Rebels will decamp to the countryside, and "he would rule over an economic wasteland hampered by a low-level insurgency with no end in sight." Full analysis here.

  • The UN estimates that 16,000 people have been uprooted in the latest violence, and officials expect the exodus to get worse, reports CNN.
  • Whether they flee or stay, residents face one common problem: a distinct threat of starvation. The Washington Post has a closer look.
  • It's the eastern half of Aleppo that's under siege, and an estimated 250,000 people were still living there prior to this latest fighting. Why? They feel trapped. See the BBC.
  • Earlier this month, eastern Aleppo still had one hospital standing, but airstrikes have since wiped it out. See NPR.
  • Syria is going to be a major foreign policy issue for President-elect Trump, and an analysis at Foreign Affairs lays out a potential strategy for him. Key is putting pressure on Moscow and Tehran. Read it here.
  • The US just lost its first service member in the fight against ISIS in Syria; ABC News has details.
  • A 7-year-old's plight has caught the world's attention.
(More Syria stories.)

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