Cities and towns in Syria

So I don't understand. So do Syrian cities and towns "fall" if they come under the control of foreign fighters, say, from Chechnya or Saudi Arabia?  As one Western journalist who is sympathetic to the Syrian "revolution", wrote to me today: "Yes there is a constant stream of articles about Aleppo's "fall." A bit strange to call a government regaining control of its own territory "falling." Aleppo city was not a pro opposition city and part of it was conquered by foreign backed insurgents who invaded from the countryside. Its not like the residents of that city wanted the insurgents to come in."  Personally, I want the whole of Syria to fall out of the control of both: the Syrian regime and the Syrian rebels.