▁Ale ppo . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁November , ▁reb els ▁claimed ▁to ▁control ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁roads ▁to ▁Ale ppo , ▁leaving ▁the ▁Dam asc us - A le ppo ▁highway ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁supply ▁route ▁to ▁government ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁November , ▁reb els ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁Sy rian ▁military ▁hel ic opter ▁on ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁Ale ppo ▁using ▁a ▁surface - to - air ▁miss ile . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁November , ▁the ▁situation ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁centre ▁was ▁calm ▁with ▁shoot ings ▁and ▁explos ions ▁being ▁heard ▁in ▁the ▁Armen ian ▁New ▁Village ▁neighbourhood . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁reported ▁in ▁December ▁that ▁the ▁B ust an ▁al - B asha ▁neighbourhood ▁had ▁been ▁sh elled , ▁while ▁the ▁cl ash es ▁were ▁on going ▁on ▁the ▁air port ▁road . ▁On ▁ 3 ▁December , ▁cl ash es ▁were ▁reported ▁in ▁Mid an ▁and ▁the ▁nearby ▁S ule iman ▁al - H al abi ▁districts , ▁while ▁government ▁forces ▁sh elled ▁villages ▁near ▁the ▁Gr ound ▁Forces ▁Academy . ▁Activ ists ▁reported ▁that ▁five ▁bodies ▁had ▁been ▁found ▁in ▁al - S ou f ay ra . ▁However , ▁fier ce ▁combat ▁soon ▁broke ▁out ▁within ▁B ust an ▁al - B asha ▁district , ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Islam ist ▁al - N us ra ▁Front ▁and ▁A hr ar ▁ash - Sh am ▁groups , ▁according ▁to ▁a ▁military ▁source . ▁The