SYRIEN - En sammanställning av konflikten

On 6 August, the rebel colonel in charge of the Aleppo Battle, Abdul Gabbar Kaidi, stated that the rebels were still fighting in Salahaddine, but were not in control of the district. He said that they were still there attacking checkpoints, but that the district was destroyed and full of army tanks. The media center of the Taweed brigade, located in the Sakhour district, was destroyed by an airstrike, while rebels attacked a checkpoint near the Aleppo University dormitories, destroying two armored vehicles.[18] Fighting erupted near the Aleppo presidential palace,[110] and government forces shelled rebel positions at the Palace of Justice and in the Marjeh and Shaar districts, while another rebel commander was killed in fighting in the Salahaddine area.[111] FSA also controlled the ground on at least two sides of the Citadel of Aleppo, which was meanwhile under the Syrian army control, and were preparing for an attack on it.[112] Rebels in districts of Aleppo visited by Reuters journalists in recent days seemed battered, overwhelmed and running low on ammunition after days of intense shelling of their positions by tanks and heavy machinegun fire from helicopter gunships.[113]

A survivor of a killing by pro-government militia said that 10 prisoners, with loose links to the rebels, were executed in Aleppo. He was found injured and taken to be treated in a rebel-held town.[114][115]

On 7 August, the ancient citadel in the center of the city, manned by government troops, was under siege, but military armored units were inching forward through Salahaddine from the southwest.[116] The Syrian Army encircled rebels fighters in Salahaddine from two sides, where the rebels were running low on ammunition. Military snipers deployed in areas of the district on rooftops and tanks were stationed in the streets. Snipers were also positioned in the local roundabout where they were stopping rebel reinforcements and supplies to enter the district. One commander stated that five of his fighters were killed the previous day and 20 were wounded, but that the FSA still held the main streets.[117] The FSA had reportedly advanced to the Bab Jnein and Sabee Bahrat districts of Aleppo where there were fierce clashes.[118] In the north of the city, rebels made an attempt to advance into a Kurdish district, which was reportedly sympathetic to the opposition. However, earlier reports suggested that Kurdish militias were mobilised at the request of the government in the area, which seemed apparent as the Kurds clashed with the FSA fighters who entered the district. Fighting ceased after military jets bombed the area, forcing rebel forces to retreat.[10] At this point, opposition activists confirmed that Aleppo had been completely surrounded by government troops. Meanwhile, rebels claimed they had seized a key army checkpoint, which connects the north-eastern outskirts of Aleppo with the city center.[119]

State television said that the military had engaged a force of 150 rebels during fighting in the al-Asilah district, killing "a large number" of them and destroying four technicals.[120]