PHOTO: View of the al-Castello Road, the last route into opposition-held Aleppo, from a Syrian military position
UPDATE 1630 GMT: Pro-opposition sources claim that the pro-Assad forces have been pushed back from the al-Castello road and have retreated to the southern portion of the nearby al-Mallah Farms.
However, the regime’s heavy artillery still have fire control over the road, which has been closed to traffic by rebels.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Pro-opposition activists say the Syrian military and allied foreign militia, supported by heavy artillery and Russian airstrikes, have now reached the last route into opposition-held Aleppo city.
@QalaatAlMudiq Bulldozers arrived & sandbags barriers are set up on Castillo Road 2 definitively cut off Rebel-Aleppo from last supply line.
— Qalaat Al Mudiq (@QalaatAlMudiq) July 17, 2016
A rebel fighter said, “Aleppo is now 100% besieged.”
“It’s completely cut,” said Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim.
After months of attempts, the pro-Assad forces established fire control over the al-Castello Road earlier this month, capturing the al-Mallah Farms and establishing positions within 1.5 km (1 mile) of the route. Rebels tried by failed last weekend to regain nearby hills to remove heavy artillery.
See Syria Daily, July 13: Opposition Faces a Regime Siege of Aleppo
Louisa Loveluck of The Washington Post reports:
With Castello Rd into Aleppo closed, a doctor tells me food prices have tripled. & still the bombs continue – another hospital damaged yday.
— Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) July 17, 2016
Meanwhile, pro-Assad forces continue their attempt to advance in areas of western Aleppo city, such as Layramoun, Bani Zeid, and Khalidiyah. Pro-regime outlets claim that the Syrian military and allies have fire control of the Layramoun roundabout.
Rebels fighting in Khalidiyah:
