<sod >Retaking the entire of Aleppo,Â which has been contested since 2012,Â would be a major victory in the six-year-long war for President Bashar al-Assad, removing the last of US-backed rebel groups from Syria's urban centres.< eod>< sod > President Bashar al-AssadÂ is now close to retaking the entire of Aleppo, which has been contested since 2012, which would be a major victory for the government in the almost six-year-long conflict, removing the last of US-backed rebel groups from Syria's urban centres.< eod>