Assad, the Syrian dictator, to retake Aleppo after part of the city fell to insurgents in 2012. Less than four days is how long it took him to lose it. On November 27th rebels launched a surprise offensive in north-west Syria.

Video posted by pro-opposition media in Syria shows militants in Aleppo’s western suburbs removing the Syrian national flag from a monument.

Syrian opposition forces have taken control of much of the country’s second largest city Aleppo after a lightening advance that killed dozens of government soldiers in a major challenge to President Bashar al-Assad.