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| Battle looms in Aleppo, Syria's economic hub | Battle looms in Aleppo, Syria's economic hub |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Syria's second city had remained relatively peaceful from the start of the uprising 16 months ago until recently. The looming battle for Aleppo is likely to be as important to Bashar al-Assad as was the fight to eject rebel fighters from the areas of Damascus they briefly controlled. | Syria's second city had remained relatively peaceful from the start of the uprising 16 months ago until recently. The looming battle for Aleppo is likely to be as important to Bashar al-Assad as was the fight to eject rebel fighters from the areas of Damascus they briefly controlled. |
| Larger than the capital, Aleppo is the country's economic hub, the gateway to northern Syria and home to a thriving manufacturing sector. Its pre-crisis population of 2.5 million has been swollen because of the drought that has hit rural areas and by refugees arriving from elsewhere in the country, especially nearby Idlib. | Larger than the capital, Aleppo is the country's economic hub, the gateway to northern Syria and home to a thriving manufacturing sector. Its pre-crisis population of 2.5 million has been swollen because of the drought that has hit rural areas and by refugees arriving from elsewhere in the country, especially nearby Idlib. |
| Its 13th-century citadel and covered market are part of a Unesco world heritage site, but tourism – a hugely important source of revenues – has been decimated. | Its 13th-century citadel and covered market are part of a Unesco world heritage site, but tourism – a hugely important source of revenues – has been decimated. |
| Aleppo – Halab in Arabic – lies on the old Silk Road trading route. The majority of its residents are Sunni Muslims or Kurds, and there are Armenians and other Christians from the Syrian, Greek Orthodox and Maronite churches. The Hamdaniyeh area is home to many government employees, among them large numbers of Alawites, Assad's sect. Rebels have taken control of the central Salaheddine and Sakhour areas. Thousands have fled for safer neighbourhoods. | Aleppo – Halab in Arabic – lies on the old Silk Road trading route. The majority of its residents are Sunni Muslims or Kurds, and there are Armenians and other Christians from the Syrian, Greek Orthodox and Maronite churches. The Hamdaniyeh area is home to many government employees, among them large numbers of Alawites, Assad's sect. Rebels have taken control of the central Salaheddine and Sakhour areas. Thousands have fled for safer neighbourhoods. |
| In February two large bombs exploded at security buildings, killing 28. The Free Syrian Army said it was operating in the area at the time but denied responsibility and accused the government of staging the attacks to justify its crackdown on the uprising. | In February two large bombs exploded at security buildings, killing 28. The Free Syrian Army said it was operating in the area at the time but denied responsibility and accused the government of staging the attacks to justify its crackdown on the uprising. |
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