Answer
Aleppo, a strategically important city in northern Syria, fell under Arab control in the 10th century. In 962, the Byzantine emperor, Nikephoros II Phokas, launched a campaign to recapture the city but was unsuccessful. However, his successor, John I Tzimiskes, resumed the offensive and in 969, after a protracted siege, managed to retake Aleppo from the Arabs, restoring Byzantine control over the region.