The battle of Aleppo between the forces of the regime and its allies and the Syrian opposition is taking on a strategic dimension that will determine the military and political course of the current political crisis, said UAE’s Al Khaleej.
“The fourth round of peace talks in Geneva are due to be held at the end of August and discussions regarding these talks seem to be revolving around the fact that the parties are seizing it as an opportunity to impose a new military reality that they can use on the negotiating table. After all, Aleppo is not merely a battle on the sidelines, it is a strategic battle in every sense of the term due to the city’s location and its geographic and economic significance. That is why the date for the talks is merely hypothetical, because many things are still in the air both at the military and diplomatic levels.”
In less than a week, the rebels were able to lift the siege on Aleppo, following one of the fiercest and biggest battles that the Syrian opposition has ever been part of, said Qatar’s Al Sharq.
“The victory will most probably be a huge turning point for both Syria and the region. Just as the battle of Aleppo unified the Syrian opposition and battling militant factions, it will also unify the Arab and Islamic nation that was closely following the progress of the rebels who were making history for the country in Aleppo. The unity of the rebels was a key factor in their success and victory, which was attained by lifting the siege on trapped civilians. This is the first step towards achieving a bigger goal: Liberating Syria. This will require the support of all people in the Arab and Islamic nation,” the paper said.
The reality is that in this murky war, despite announcements here and there about victories and the like, the only thing being celebrated is a string of defeats and bloodshed over the bodies of Syrians, said Lebanon’s Daily Star.
“According to the latest figures, nearly 300,000 people have been killed and used as chips in the dirtiest war by crooked multinational players at a foreign poker table. After five years of horror, the only achievement has been the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and at least as many wounded — mostly innocent women, children and the elderly — while millions more have been displaced as the once-prosperous country has been turned into a living nightmare.
“And the purpose of all this death and devastation has been to safeguard a ruthless dictator and a criminal regime, run by the most vile, vicious and corrupt officials. What version of history could possibly justify the suffering the Syrian people are being subjected to?”
It is quite early to consider the coup in Aleppo as a transformation in the course of an open war in Syria, and it is also wrong to play down the importance of what has happened in the city, said pan-Arab paper Al Hayat.
“The battle conveys a clear message regarding the armed opposition’s will to fight. Their determination remains strong, particularly among the Islamist factions. However, it is premature to assume that the opposition will be able to end the war in Syria just because of their recent victory in Aleppo. The battle has delivered a clear and bold message to the Syrian army as well as militias affiliated to Iran, who find themselves facing the choice of entrenching themselves deeper in a conflict that undeniably possesses a sectarian nature.”
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