▁base , ▁and ▁killed ▁the ▁base ' s ▁commander ▁and ▁captured ▁badly ▁needed ▁am mun ition ▁and ▁weapons . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁August , ▁the ▁Army ▁advanced ▁into ▁the ▁western ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁Sa if ▁al - D aw la ▁district . ▁Security ▁sources ▁in ▁Dam asc us ▁also ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁Army ▁was ▁adv ancing ▁on ▁the ▁re bel - h eld ▁district ▁of ▁Su k ari . ▁The ▁Observ atory ▁said ▁opposition ▁f igh ters ▁attacked ▁a ▁key ▁air ▁force ▁intelligence ▁branch ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁Z ah ra a ▁district . ▁Reb els ▁again ▁attacked ▁the ▁radio ▁and ▁television ▁station ▁in ▁Ale ppo . ▁ ▁Video ▁foot age ▁showed ▁reb els ▁shooting ▁down ▁a ▁Mi G - 2 3 B N ▁f ighter ▁and ▁execution s ▁of ▁prisoners ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁Ale ppo ▁by ▁re bel ▁forces . ▁O pp osition ▁activ ists ▁claimed ▁that ▁reb els ▁had ▁nothing ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁the ▁kill ings . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁August , ▁reb els ▁reported ▁that ▁they ▁captured ▁Bab ▁al - N as r ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area , ▁forcing ▁soldiers ▁to ▁retre at ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁centre . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁August , ▁heavy ▁fighting ▁was ▁reported ▁at ▁Ale ppo ▁International ▁Airport , ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁gateway ▁to ▁the ▁city . ▁According ▁to ▁S AN A , ▁reb els ▁were ▁" push ed ▁out ▁from ▁areas ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁air port ". ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁August , ▁Army ▁clear ing ▁operations