Damascus-led forces assisted by Russian military aircraft have secured control over the main highway to Aleppo essentially freeing the strategic Syrian city which had been besieged for two weeks, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.

A team has already finished disarming explosive devices along�the road. On Wednesday, authorities opened the highway to�traffic letting military equipment, as�well as�trucks carrying food and fuel through. Soldiers at�checkpoints said that the road would be open to�civilians on�Thursday.

Aleppo is the economic capital of�Syria and the largest city in�the country. In 2011, Aleppo had 2.4 million residents, while 1.9 million people lived in�Damascus. Since the outbreak of�the civil war Aleppo became the scene of�intense fighting forcing many to�flee the city and seek shelter in�Damascus.

Almost all highways linking Aleppo to�Damascus, Latakia, Hama, etc. are controlled by�rebel groups. Some two weeks ago ISIL fighters seized the so-called "road of�life" to�Aleppo. It was the only way to�get to�Latakia in�the West or Hama, Homs and Damascus in�the South.

Approximately 1 million people lived in�Aleppo when this road was cut off�from those areas of�the country which have not been overtaken by�rebels. They were left without�fuel, gas and food and prices skyrocketed. Basic supplies currently cost up�to ten times more than�in the rest of�Damascus-controlled Syria.

By Sputnik News