Major Battle for Control of Syria’s Largest City Underway
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JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images(ALEPPO, Syria) — All signs point to the Syrian government preparing to crush rebel forces in Aleppo, the country’s largest city and commercial capital.
Thousands of troops were seen headed to Aleppo on Wednesday, where opposition forces are said to be in control of nearly half the city.
Along with the soliders, tanks and armored vehicles withdrew from positions near the Turkish border in preparation for a major offensive.
In an indication of what’s to come in Aleppo, there were reports of the Syrian military already using helicopters and shelling Free Syrian Army targets.
According to one activist, civilians are desperately trying to flee aerial firepower that is destined to become more intense as reinforcements are deployed to the city.
Meanwhile, Turkey said Wednesday that it was shutting down border crossings into Syria.
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