Syrian Army Seizes Key Aleppo District from Kurdish Fighters

Syrian government forces have taken control of most of the Ashrafieh neighborhood in Aleppo. The area was previously held by the Kurdish YPG militia. The Syrian Army entered the district from three directions: south, west, and north. This multi-front advance led to the capture of the area, according to a reporter from Turkey's Anadolu news agency. Turkey and Syria label the YPG as a terrorist group linked to the PKK. The PKK is a Kurdish militant organization that has fought a long conflict with Turkey. The YPG was the main U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria. Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the war, has been divided between government and opposition control for years. Retaking all of Aleppo remains a key goal for President Bashar al-Assad's forces.