Syrian rebels seize central Aleppo in lightning attack against Putin ally Assad as Vlad launches 1st airstrikes in 8yrs

SYRIAN rebels have managed to seize central Aleppo and now roam freely on the streets following a lightning-fast advance in the region.

Dozens of exiled fighters from the militant Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise offensive against Vladimir Putin's ally President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The ferocious march into the city in armoured trucks and tanks resulted in hours of bloodshed as the rebels battled with Russian-backed guards.

The Syrian army announced that dozens of its soldiers were killed in the major attack as they lost control of the city.

They even admitted that the rebels had entered large parts of the city and were forced to withdraw forces temporarily to prepare a counter-offensive.

Meanwhile, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched their own offensive after the Syrian regime's forces left- taking control of Aleppo’s international airport.

However, the militant group - which receives staunch support from the US authorities to wipe out Islamic State (IS) militants - are not aligned with HTS.

Despite gaining control of Aleppo, Putin responded to the advance with the first round of airstrikes in Syria since 2016.

Russian warplanes launched a terrifying raid on areas of Aleppo, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The overnight attack saw giant blasts ring out across Syria.

Russia's military said it was bombing "extremist" forces.

But it is understood the Russian response so far has just been "symbolic".

Much of the city was set on fire with parked cars being left in ruins and buildings destroyed by the attacks.

Thick plumes of smoke can be seen rising from apartment blocks in a harrowing set of pictures.

Fighters were seen posing with a rebel flag after toppling a statue of Basharal al-Assad's brother Bassel-al-Assad who was killed in a car crash in 1994.

Militants from HTS now lay claim to Aleppo as they battle to overpower Assad's military might and outrun the aerial strikes.

The shock surge marks the biggest strike of the Syrian civil war since 2020 with many men left lifeless on the cold Aleppo ground.

Aleppo has been one of the most volatile areas in Syria for years with it being controlled by the Syrian army ever since government forces backed by Russia and Iran drove out the rebels six years ago.

With Russia and Iran still fighting their own national battles in the Middle East and across Europe the siege is set to plunge the countries into further trouble.

Vlad has already responded and shown he wants Aleppo back under his allies' control through the overnight strikes.

But Iran is yet to react with Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman telling AFP it seems like the Syrian regime has been "abandoned by its main allies Iran".

Syria's conflict broke out after Assad crushed anti-government protests in 2011, spiralling into a complex conflict that has drawn in foreign armies and jihadists and killed more than half a million people.