Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — Syrian President Bashar Assad was expected to launch a major offensive against the nation’s largest city.

Diplomatic sources said Assad has been moving troops from the Syrian border with Lebanon after driving out Sunni rebels from the Qalamoun region.

The sources said the Syrian Army was ordered to redeploy thousands of troops and
regime-aligned fighters to Aleppo, under rebel control for nearly two years.

“The success in Qalamoun has allowed Assad to do what he’s been wanting to do for at least a year — a massive attack on Aleppo that will eradicate the rebel presence,” a source said.

On April 24, the Syrian Air Force intensified strikes on rebel strongholds around Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the air force bombed a market near the northern city that killed at least 27 people.

The sources said the army has captured some 70 percent of Aleppo and controlled three sides of the city. They said military has been hampered by a lack of manpower amid major operations around Damascus and the Lebanese border.

Over the last few weeks, however, the Syrian Army captured most of
Qalamoun and advanced through rebel-held strongholds around Damascus. On
April 20, the army, accompanied by Hizbullah and National Defense Forces
captured the strategic town of Maliha east of the Syrian capital.

“Thus, regime units have in effect split the gunmen positions into two
sections: the first is north of the capital, where two battles were expected
soon against the main gunmen strongholds in Harasta and Duma, and the second
is south of Damascus, starting from Jaramana down to Dera near the Jordanian
border,” the London-based Al Monitor website said.

Al Monitor said the army would press ahead through the rebel-held
villages in East Ghouta south of Damascus. Should the operation prove
successful, then the military would amass troops outside Aleppo.

The regime was expected to target two strategic positions on
the outskirts of Aleppo. They were identified as the Syrian Air Force
Intelligence headquarters as well as Aleppo central prison, under rebel
siege over the last two years.

The sources said Assad forces could storm Aleppo by elections scheduled
for June 2014. They said Assad, without Aleppo,
could not claim any legitimate elections.

“The next few weeks are crucial for Assad’s plans,” another source said.

  Bashar Assad, Qalamoun, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights