osition ▁forces ▁attempted ▁to ▁un ite ▁the ▁two ▁largest ▁re bel ▁groups ▁in ▁Ale ppo ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁coun tr ys ide ▁under ▁one ▁command , ▁so ▁they ▁could ▁better ▁coordinate . ▁Anal yst s ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁st alem ate ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁low ▁mor ale ▁and ▁an ▁in ability ▁to ▁rein force ▁and ▁res upp ly ▁troops ▁from ▁Dam asc us ▁via ▁the ▁highway . ▁The ▁government ▁discussed ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁chemical ▁weapons ▁as ▁a ▁last ▁resort , ▁and ▁Der ▁Sp iegel ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁government ▁had ▁restart ed ▁chemical ▁weapons ▁tests ▁in ▁nearby ▁Saf ira ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁August . ▁Ale ppo ▁activ ists ▁reported ▁ 3 7 ▁civ ili ans ▁killed ▁within ▁Ale ppo ▁city ▁from ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁over night ▁bomb ard ment . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 0 / 2 1 ▁September , ▁fighting ▁er upt ed ▁near ▁the ▁Han ano ▁military ▁base , ▁SO HR ▁said . ▁B ust an ▁al - Q as r ▁was ▁still ▁under ▁attack ▁after ▁the ▁Army ▁attempted ▁to ▁re capt ure ▁it . ▁The ▁Army ▁also ▁attacked ▁Sh ak our ▁during ▁the ▁day . ▁Cl ash es ▁were ▁reported ▁in ▁Sh ak our ▁round about ▁where ▁do z ens ▁of ▁reb els ▁had ▁been ▁killed , ▁S AN A ▁said . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁September , ▁S AN A ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁Army ▁had ▁re capt ured ▁the ▁Third ▁Indust rial ▁Institute ▁in ▁S ule iman ▁al