May 20: Loyalist Forces in Syria Regroup After Losses

Weeks into a revitalized plan to take back Aleppo province and its eponymous capital, it is clear that the loyalist effort is not succeeding. The reactivation of militant group Jaish al-Fatah and the subsequent rebel victory at Khan Touman have won the rebels important ground while embarrassing the Iranian forces who directed defense of the area and inflicting significant casualties on the loyalists. Subsequent counterattacks in the region compounded loyalist losses, yielding little gain in return. North of Aleppo, loyalist forces, predominantly composed of Palestinian factions, failed in repeated assaults on the Handarat area, which overlooks a critical rebel supply line into the city....