DAMASCUS — Syrian government forces engaged in fierce battles with insurgents in Aleppo for the first time since 2016, state media reported Saturday.

The clashes, coupled with targeted airstrikes on rebel supply lines, mark a significant escalation in the country’s prolonged civil war.

Insurgents breached government defense lines on Friday, pushing into the city’s western neighborhoods with minimal resistance. Their offensive, launched Wednesday in Aleppo and Idlib countryside, saw the capture of dozens of villages, including a strategic town south of Aleppo.

State media confirmed airstrikes on Aleppo's outskirts targeting rebel reinforcements. Al-Watan newspaper shared a video showing a missile strike on fighters and vehicles in a tree-lined street.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 20 fighters were killed in the strikes, with local residents witnessing clashes, gunfire, and some fleeing the violence. Schools and government offices remained closed on Saturday, though bakeries stayed open.

In dramatic scenes shared on social media, insurgents were seen near Aleppo’s historic citadel, one of the largest medieval fortresses in the world. Videos showed them engaging with residents, offering reassurances of safety.

State media accused "terrorist" sleeper cells of infiltrating parts of the city, with government forces reportedly chasing and arresting some individuals posing for photos at city landmarks. Commentators on state television emphasized the role of army reinforcements and Russian support in combating the insurgents.

Russia's state news agency Tass reported that Russian warplanes killed 200 militants in strikes on Friday, though details were sparse. Russia has been a key ally of Syrian government forces since the conflict began.

This offensive marks the first significant opposition attack on Aleppo since their expulsion from eastern neighborhoods in 2016 after a grueling campaign. — Agencies