The 2016 Aleppo summer campaign started with a military operation launched on the northern outskirts of Aleppo in late June 2016, by the Syrian Arab Army. The aim of the offensive was to cut the last rebel supply line into Aleppo city.
By late July, the military had managed to sever the last rebel supply line coming from the north and completely surround Aleppo. However, within days, the rebels launched a large-scale counter-attack south of Aleppo in an attempt to both open a new supply line into rebel-held parts of the city and cut-off the government-held side. The whole campaign, including both the Army's offensive and subsequent rebel counter-offensive, was seen by both sides as possibly deciding the fate of the entire war.
The battle was also notable for the large loss of top rebel field commanders, with about three dozen being killed.
By early September, Syrian government troops had cemented their siege of the rebel part of the city.
The campaign
Army advances, rebel-held Aleppo surrounded
The offensive began on 25 June, with heavy Russian air-strikes and ground bombardment. On 26 June, the military made advances into the Mallah Farms, and by 28 June, they had captured half of the farmlands, including the Al-Asamat and Arab Salum areas. The advances brought the Castello Road within firing range of the military's artillery.
After midnight on 7 July, amid heavy airstrikes, pro-government forces captured the southern part of Mallah and came within one kilometer of the Castello Road. They captured a mosque complex and a hill which overlooks the Castello Road, thus enabling them to bring the road under artillery fire-control. This effectively cut off the only supply route to the rebel-held part of Aleppo.
Several days later, the Army advanced in the al-Layramoun al-Khalidiyah and Bani Zeid districts. During this time, government troops captured the Sadkop Gas Factory.
By the evening of 13 July, the military secured the whole al-Khalidiyah district and most of the al-Layramoun industrial area, after capturing the last several rebel-held buildings in al-Khalidiyah, as well as al-Layramoun's gas factory, market and glass factory.
On 17 July, the Army and Hezbollah reached the Castello Road, capturing parts of it and completely cutting it after taking control of Castello Hill. With this advance, the rebel-held part of Aleppo city was fully besieged and the al-Layramoun roundabout came under artillery fire-control. Meanwhile, the military made more advances in the Bani Zeid and al-Layramoun areas, capturing most of the factories.
Between 23 and 25 July, the Army expanded its control in the al-Layramoun industrial area by capturing the Textile Factory a dozen industrial buildings and two malls. Late on 25 July, the Tiger Forces captured two sites in and near the Castillo Complex, threatening to cut off the rebels remaining at Bani Zeid and al-Layramoun.
On 26 July, government forces captured all of the al-Layramoun District after heavy fighting for the last rebel stronghold there, the Bus Station. After also seizing the Al-Castillo Amusement Park and imposing fire control over Bani Zeid, the remaining rebel forces in Aleppo City were left almost completely besieged.
On 27 July, rebel forces attacked the Kurdish-held areas of Aleppo, although their attack was repelled. The Kurds then proceeded to advance into the nearby rebel-held Bani Zeid Youth Housing neighborhood and captured the whole complex. Later that day, the Army officially declared it had cut off all rebel supply routes into Aleppo. On 28 July, the military captured the Bani Zeid district, as well as the rebel-held parts of the Ashrafiyah district. The rebels withdrew from Bani Zeid before the main Army assault so to avoid heavy losses. The Army then continued to push its assault towards the Dahret Abdrubbah area.
On 30 July, the Kurdish YPG captured the Shuqayyif Youth Housing area, next to the Castello Road.