The Arab League on Sunday welcomed back the Syrian&nbsp;government to its fold. This marks the end of more than a decade-long suspension and with this&nbsp;President Bashar al-Assad has made a return to the Arab fold after years of isolation.

In an anonymous decision, the group's foreign ministers announced that the "government delegations from the Syrian Arab Republic will resume their participation in Arab League meetings," starting Sunday.

The group's foreign ministers in their statement spoke of their "keenness to launch a leading Arab role in efforts to resolve" the Syria crisis and its "humanitarian, security and political consequences." They also noted that humanitarian aid must reach "all those in need."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/arab-ministers-to-agree-on-syrias-conditional-return-to-arab-league-report-589961">Arab ministers to agree on Syria’s conditional return to Arab League: Report</a>

Furthermore, they have decided to establish a ministerial committee to continue a "direct dialogue" with the Syrian government with the aim of achieving a comprehensive solution.

As per AFP, the 22-member group had suspended Damascus' participation in&nbsp;2011 due to the nation's actions against peaceful protests that started earlier that year. These protests turned into a civil conflict and resulted&nbsp;in the death of over 500,000 individuals, the displacement of millions, and significant damage to the country's infrastructure and industry.

Ever since the war started, President Bashar al-Assad was left politically isolated. However, ahead of an Arab League summit in the Saudi city of Jeddah on May 19, recent weeks saw a flurry of diplomatic activity.

At the beginning of the conflict, a number of Arab countries severed diplomatic relations with Syria, "betting on his demise."

Others, like Qatar and Saudi Arabia as per AFP, even offered assistance to the Syrian opposition.

However, the leader "stubbornly held onto power," and even regained territory that was previously lost during the conflict. Due to this, regional capitals slowly warmed up to him. This acceptance, as per AFP, was further facilitated by the vital support provided by Iran and Russia.

The United Arab Emirates, which resumed diplomatic relations with Damascus towards the end of 2018, has reportedly been taking the lead in the recent push to reintegrate Syria into the Arab community.

An earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria on February 6th of this year further contributed to an Arab outreach to Assad's government.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Arab League on Sunday welcomed back the Syrian government to its fold. This marks the end of more than a decade-long suspension and with this President Bashar al-Assad has made a return to the Arab fold after years of isolation.

The Arab League on Sunday welcomed back the Syrian government to its fold. This marks the end of more than a decade-long suspension and with this President Bashar al-Assad has made a return to the Arab fold after years of isolation. In an anonymous decision, the group's foreign ministers announced that the "government delegations from the Syrian Arab Republic will resume their participation in Arab League meetings," starting Sunday. The group's foreign ministers in their statement spoke of their "keenness to launch a leading Arab role in efforts to resolve" the Syria crisis and its "humanitarian, security and political consequences." They also noted that humanitarian aid must reach "all those in need." Also read | Arab ministers to agree on Syria’s conditional return to Arab League: Report Furthermore, they have decided to establish a ministerial committee to continue a "direct dialogue" with the Syrian government with the aim of achieving a comprehensive solution. As per AFP, the 22-member group had suspended Damascus' participation in 2011 due to the nation's actions against peaceful protests that started earlier that year. These protests turned into a civil conflict and resulted in the death of over 500,000 individuals, the displacement of millions, and significant damage to the country's infrastructure and industry. Ever since the war started, President Bashar al-Assad was left politically isolated. However, ahead of an Arab League summit in the Saudi city of Jeddah on May 19, recent weeks saw a flurry of diplomatic activity. At the beginning of the conflict, a number of Arab countries severed diplomatic relations with Syria, "betting on his demise." Others, like Qatar and Saudi Arabia as per AFP, even offered assistance to the Syrian opposition. However, the leader "stubbornly held onto power," and even regained territory that was previously lost during the conflict. Due to this, regional capitals slowly warmed up to him. This acceptance, as per AFP, was further facilitated by the vital support provided by Iran and Russia. The United Arab Emirates, which resumed diplomatic relations with Damascus towards the end of 2018, has reportedly been taking the lead in the recent push to reintegrate Syria into the Arab community. An earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria on February 6th of this year further contributed to an Arab outreach to Assad's government. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Syria returns to Arab League after 12 long years

The Russian army has said President Bashar al-Assad's Syrian forces had ceased fire "unilaterally" in northwestern Idlib province, where the UN fears a "humanitarian catastrophe".

Russian army says Syrian forces have called ceasefire in Idlib

At least 15 people died in air strikes on the rebel-held Syrian city of Idlib on Tuesday, in some of the heaviest raids there in months, residents and a rescue worker said.

Around eight attacks by what were believed to be Russian jets wounded scores of people and levelled several multi-storey buildings in residential areas of the northwestern city, they added.

&quot;We are still pulling bodies from the rubble,&quot; Issam al Idlibi, a volunteer civil defence worker, said. Most of the casualties were civilians and the death toll would probably rise, he added.

The extent of the damage and the debris bore the hallmarks of a Russian attack, said two witnesses. There was no immediate comment from Moscow.

Russian planes have targeted a number of towns and villages in the area since entering the Syrian conflict in September 2015 to back ally President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;But activists and residents said there had been a reduction of Russian strikes in Idlib province since a Turkish-Russian brokered cessation of hostilities late December.

Planes from the US-led coalition have also launched a number of attacks in the rural province, a major stronghold of jihadists, many of them formerly affiliated to al-Qaida.

Idlib&#39;s population has been swollen by thousands of Syrian fighters and their families who were evacuated from villages and towns around Damascus and Aleppo city retaken by the government in recent months.

(Reuters)

Witnesses said Russian jets wounded several people and levelled multi-storey buildings in residential areas of Idlib

At least 15 people died in air strikes on the rebel-held Syrian city of Idlib on Tuesday, in some of the heaviest raids there in months, residents and a rescue worker said. Around eight attacks by what were believed to be Russian jets wounded scores of people and levelled several multi-storey buildings in residential areas of the northwestern city, they added. "We are still pulling bodies from the rubble," Issam al Idlibi, a volunteer civil defence worker, said. Most of the casualties were civilians and the death toll would probably rise, he added. The extent of the damage and the debris bore the hallmarks of a Russian attack, said two witnesses. There was no immediate comment from Moscow. Russian planes have targeted a number of towns and villages in the area since entering the Syrian conflict in September 2015 to back ally President Bashar al-Assad. But activists and residents said there had been a reduction of Russian strikes in Idlib province since a Turkish-Russian brokered cessation of hostilities late December. Planes from the US-led coalition have also launched a number of attacks in the rural province, a major stronghold of jihadists, many of them formerly affiliated to al-Qaida. Idlib's population has been swollen by thousands of Syrian fighters and their families who were evacuated from villages and towns around Damascus and Aleppo city retaken by the government in recent months. (Reuters)

Air strikes hit Syria's Idlib city, 15 dead

It&#39;s an all-too-familiar Hollywood story: the out-of-work actor eking out an existence in cheap housing, earning minimum wage delivering pizzas, desperate for his big break.&nbsp;

But for Jay Abdo -- one of the Arab world&#39;s biggest stars before the conflict in Syria made him just another anonymous refugee on the mean streets of Los Angeles -- it has been particularly tough.

Just a few years ago, the 54-year-old actor could not walk the streets in any Middle Eastern country without being mobbed by fans or dine out without being offered free meals.

A household name and a veteran of 43 movies and more than 1,000 TV episodes, Abdo was admired not just for his acting skills but also his willingness to speak his mind in public.

&quot;I had a pretty beautiful life,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;People loved me, on screen and on talk shows when I spoke to people and expressed my culture and points of view.&quot;

Known in Syria by his real first name, Jihad, Abdo is best known for his role in &quot;Bab al-Hara&quot; (&quot;The Neighborhood Gate&quot;), one of the biggest soap operas in history, with up to 50 million viewers per episode.

His path to Hollywood started in 2011 as tensions in Syria were escalating in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

His wife, painter and human rights lawyer Fadia Afashe, was a senior official in Syria&#39;s department of culture, and found herself having to flee Bashar al-Assad&#39;s brutal regime after being caught meeting opposition activists during a trip to France.

Torture

She went to study public policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, intending to return to Syria after graduating.

But Abdo himself was beginning to become a major annoyance to Assad&#39;s crumbling regime after turning down numerous invitations to back the president at rallies and TV talk shows.&nbsp;

Matters came to a head when he gave an interview to the Los Angeles Times during a trip to Beirut in which he accused Syria&#39;s secret service of torture and corruption.&nbsp;

Strangers threatened him on his return to Syria, his car windows were smashed and he faced repeated demands to apologize to Assad on television.

Having seen friends arrested or disappear -- some are still missing -- he uprooted in October 2011, leaving behind almost all his wealth and property, to join his wife in Minneapolis.

The couple applied for asylum and drove for three days to Los Angeles with everything they owned so Abdo could find work.&nbsp;

&quot;I met so many people who were shocked that my name was Jihad,&quot; he says, explaining why he became Jay.

&quot;They didn&#39;t know it was Christian and I was named after a Christian lawyer in Damascus -- a very good friend to my family.&quot;&nbsp;

Even with a more palatable name, more than 100 failed auditions followed as the couple lived a desperate existence on just $3 a day.&nbsp;

It took more than a year to find work with a florist and delivering pizzas for Domino&#39;s, earning up to $300 a week.

&#39;Destiny brought me&#39;

Abdo&#39;s break finally came when he landed a part alongside Nicole Kidman and James Franco in &quot;Queen of the Desert,&quot; Werner Herzog&#39;s biopic of the British archeologist Gertrude Bell, due for release in spring.

&quot;All my scenes were with Nicole,&quot; Abdo says. &quot;I can&#39;t praise her enough. She&#39;s very sweet, extremely professional, a very good hearted woman -- very smart and sharp. Above all, she supported me from the first minute.&quot;

Herzog has since described in interviews finally grasping how famous his Syrian hire was when they visited a souk in Marrakesh during filming in Morocco.&nbsp;

&quot;Everyone wanted a photo with him. The merchants in the souk gave us everything for half price,&quot; the filmmaker told The Wall Street Journal.

In a sign that Tinseltown really does like its happy endings, the actor&#39;s career is finally back on track.

He has a part in the Amazon television series &quot;The Patriot&quot; and &quot;Bon Voyage,&quot; a short film he made with Swiss director Marc Raymond Wilkins, has just been shortlisted for an Oscar.

Last year, he appeared alongside Tom Hanks in &quot;A Hologram for the King,&quot; a comedy about a failed corporate salesman trying to do business in Saudi Arabia.

Devastated by the worsening plight of the Syrian people in the five years since he escaped the Assad regime, Abdo is unsure whether he&#39;ll ever return. But he believes he couldn&#39;t be in a better place.

&quot;From the beginning, Hollywood wasn&#39;t my objective,&quot; he said. &quot;I didn&#39;t plan to come here. It&#39;s destiny that brought me.&quot;

(AFP)

After more than a 100 failed auditions and delivering pizza, Jay Abdo has a part alongside Nicole Kidman & James Franco

It's an all-too-familiar Hollywood story: the out-of-work actor eking out an existence in cheap housing, earning minimum wage delivering pizzas, desperate for his big break. But for Jay Abdo -- one of the Arab world's biggest stars before the conflict in Syria made him just another anonymous refugee on the mean streets of Los Angeles -- it has been particularly tough. Just a few years ago, the 54-year-old actor could not walk the streets in any Middle Eastern country without being mobbed by fans or dine out without being offered free meals. A household name and a veteran of 43 movies and more than 1,000 TV episodes, Abdo was admired not just for his acting skills but also his willingness to speak his mind in public. "I had a pretty beautiful life," he told AFP. "People loved me, on screen and on talk shows when I spoke to people and expressed my culture and points of view." Known in Syria by his real first name, Jihad, Abdo is best known for his role in "Bab al-Hara" ("The Neighborhood Gate"), one of the biggest soap operas in history, with up to 50 million viewers per episode. His path to Hollywood started in 2011 as tensions in Syria were escalating in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. His wife, painter and human rights lawyer Fadia Afashe, was a senior official in Syria's department of culture, and found herself having to flee Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime after being caught meeting opposition activists during a trip to France. Torture She went to study public policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, intending to return to Syria after graduating. But Abdo himself was beginning to become a major annoyance to Assad's crumbling regime after turning down numerous invitations to back the president at rallies and TV talk shows. Matters came to a head when he gave an interview to the Los Angeles Times during a trip to Beirut in which he accused Syria's secret service of torture and corruption. Strangers threatened him on his return to Syria, his car windows were smashed and he faced repeated demands to apologize to Assad on television. Having seen friends arrested or disappear -- some are still missing -- he uprooted in October 2011, leaving behind almost all his wealth and property, to join his wife in Minneapolis. The couple applied for asylum and drove for three days to Los Angeles with everything they owned so Abdo could find work. "I met so many people who were shocked that my name was Jihad," he says, explaining why he became Jay. "They didn't know it was Christian and I was named after a Christian lawyer in Damascus -- a very good friend to my family." Even with a more palatable name, more than 100 failed auditions followed as the couple lived a desperate existence on just $3 a day. It took more than a year to find work with a florist and delivering pizzas for Domino's, earning up to $300 a week. 'Destiny brought me' Abdo's break finally came when he landed a part alongside Nicole Kidman and James Franco in "Queen of the Desert," Werner Herzog's biopic of the British archeologist Gertrude Bell, due for release in spring. "All my scenes were with Nicole," Abdo says. "I can't praise her enough. She's very sweet, extremely professional, a very good hearted woman -- very smart and sharp. Above all, she supported me from the first minute." Herzog has since described in interviews finally grasping how famous his Syrian hire was when they visited a souk in Marrakesh during filming in Morocco. "Everyone wanted a photo with him. The merchants in the souk gave us everything for half price," the filmmaker told The Wall Street Journal. In a sign that Tinseltown really does like its happy endings, the actor's career is finally back on track. He has a part in the Amazon television series "The Patriot" and "Bon Voyage," a short film he made with Swiss director Marc Raymond Wilkins, has just been shortlisted for an Oscar. Last year, he appeared alongside Tom Hanks in "A Hologram for the King," a comedy about a failed corporate salesman trying to do business in Saudi Arabia. Devastated by the worsening plight of the Syrian people in the five years since he escaped the Assad regime, Abdo is unsure whether he'll ever return. But he believes he couldn't be in a better place. "From the beginning, Hollywood wasn't my objective," he said. "I didn't plan to come here. It's destiny that brought me." (AFP)

Syrian star turned US pizza boy breaks into Hollywood

A ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by rebel supporter Turkey and key regime ally Russia.

The nationwide truce, the first since September, is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakhstan being organised by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran.

The agreement comes a week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s army recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.

On the first day of the ceasefire Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported sporadic violence in the Wadi Barada area, where rebels have cut water supplies to Damascus.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said helicopters carried out raids on rebel positions but it was unclear which side had started the clashes.

Syria&#39;s government had been shelling Wadi Barada before the truce began at midnight as it pushes rebels there to accept a &quot;reconciliation deal&quot; and leave the area.

The forces there include former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, which Syria&#39;s government says is excluded from the ceasefire.

Opposition figures however say the truce applies to all rebel-held territory, even where Fateh al-Sham is present.

Last week, rebels attacked water infrastructure in Wadi Barada and neighbouring Ain al-Fijeh, cutting supplies to the capital.

Four million people in Damascus and its suburbs have now been without water for a week, the UN says.

The clashes in Wadi Barada were the most serious of several isolated incidents of violence since the truce began.

The Observatory reported at least 16 government air strikes across several areas in Hama province in central Syria, but no casualties, but said a person was killed by regime sniper fire in the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.

Tired of war

In rebel-held Idlib province, however, it was quiet and residents expressed hope for respite from the bloody conflict.

&quot;I support the ceasefire... and I support its continuation,&quot; said 31-year-old Ahmed Astify. &quot;Everyone, whether (they are) rebels or regular people, is tired,&quot; he added.

Mohammed, 28, said: &quot;We hope that this will lead to the end of the war.&quot;

Syria&#39;s government and its ally Iran both welcomed the ceasefire deal.

Damascus called it a &quot;real opportunity&quot; to find a political solution to the war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-regime protests in March 2011.

Despite being left out of the process, Washington described the truce as &quot;positive&quot;.

Analysts were cautious but said the involvement of Russia, Iran and Turkey could be important.

Sam Heller, fellow at The Century Foundation, said there was &quot;real interest and urgency&quot; from Moscow and Ankara, but expressed doubts about whether Tehran and Damascus were on board.

&quot;All indications are that Iran and the regime want to continue towards a military conclusion,&quot; he said.

He said renewed fighting in Wadi Barada or Eastern Ghouta could pose major threats to the truce.

Talks in Astana

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he would now reduce Moscow&#39;s military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year.

But he added Russia would continue to fight &quot;terrorism&quot; and maintain its support for the government.

Turkey&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Ankara would continue the operation it began in August targeting the Islamic State group and Kurdish fighters.

Moscow says seven key rebel groups have signed up to the deal, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, but the truce excludes jihadist organisations like IS or Fateh al-Sham.

But Syria&#39;s political opposition and rebels said the truce applied to all parts of the country.

&quot;The agreement includes a ceasefire in all areas held by the moderate opposition, or by the moderate opposition and elements from Fateh al-Sham, such as Idlib province,&quot; said Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the National Coalition opposition body.

Despite backing opposite sides in the conflict, Turkey and Russia have worked increasingly closely on Syria, brokering a deal this month to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo.

They are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start next month in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana.

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would &quot;pave the way for productive talks&quot;, but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue next year.

Russia, meanwhile, submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council supporting the ceasefire and the planned peace talks and was hoping for a unanimous vote on Saturday.

Moscow and Ankara say the Astana talks are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them, and want to involve regional players like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.

Washington is conspicuously absent from the new process, but Moscow said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s administration on board once he takes office in January.

(AFP)

A monitoring group reported raids on rebel positions but said it was unclear which side had started the clashes

A ceasefire was holding across most of Syria on Friday but clashes near Damascus underlined the fragility of the deal brokered by rebel supporter Turkey and key regime ally Russia. The nationwide truce, the first since September, is intended to pave the way for new peace talks in Kazakhstan being organised by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran. The agreement comes a week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's army recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces. On the first day of the ceasefire Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported sporadic violence in the Wadi Barada area, where rebels have cut water supplies to Damascus. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said helicopters carried out raids on rebel positions but it was unclear which side had started the clashes. Syria's government had been shelling Wadi Barada before the truce began at midnight as it pushes rebels there to accept a "reconciliation deal" and leave the area. The forces there include former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, which Syria's government says is excluded from the ceasefire. Opposition figures however say the truce applies to all rebel-held territory, even where Fateh al-Sham is present. Last week, rebels attacked water infrastructure in Wadi Barada and neighbouring Ain al-Fijeh, cutting supplies to the capital. Four million people in Damascus and its suburbs have now been without water for a week, the UN says. The clashes in Wadi Barada were the most serious of several isolated incidents of violence since the truce began. The Observatory reported at least 16 government air strikes across several areas in Hama province in central Syria, but no casualties, but said a person was killed by regime sniper fire in the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. Tired of war In rebel-held Idlib province, however, it was quiet and residents expressed hope for respite from the bloody conflict. "I support the ceasefire... and I support its continuation," said 31-year-old Ahmed Astify. "Everyone, whether (they are) rebels or regular people, is tired," he added. Mohammed, 28, said: "We hope that this will lead to the end of the war." Syria's government and its ally Iran both welcomed the ceasefire deal. Damascus called it a "real opportunity" to find a political solution to the war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it began with anti-regime protests in March 2011. Despite being left out of the process, Washington described the truce as "positive". Analysts were cautious but said the involvement of Russia, Iran and Turkey could be important. Sam Heller, fellow at The Century Foundation, said there was "real interest and urgency" from Moscow and Ankara, but expressed doubts about whether Tehran and Damascus were on board. "All indications are that Iran and the regime want to continue towards a military conclusion," he said. He said renewed fighting in Wadi Barada or Eastern Ghouta could pose major threats to the truce. Talks in Astana Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he would now reduce Moscow's military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year. But he added Russia would continue to fight "terrorism" and maintain its support for the government. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said Ankara would continue the operation it began in August targeting the Islamic State group and Kurdish fighters. Moscow says seven key rebel groups have signed up to the deal, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham, but the truce excludes jihadist organisations like IS or Fateh al-Sham. But Syria's political opposition and rebels said the truce applied to all parts of the country. "The agreement includes a ceasefire in all areas held by the moderate opposition, or by the moderate opposition and elements from Fateh al-Sham, such as Idlib province," said Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the National Coalition opposition body. Despite backing opposite sides in the conflict, Turkey and Russia have worked increasingly closely on Syria, brokering a deal this month to allow the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from Aleppo. They are now pushing for peace talks between Damascus and the rebels to start next month in Kazakhstan's capital Astana. UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hoped the agreement would "pave the way for productive talks", but also reiterated he wants negotiations mediated by his office to continue next year. Russia, meanwhile, submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council supporting the ceasefire and the planned peace talks and was hoping for a unanimous vote on Saturday. Moscow and Ankara say the Astana talks are meant to supplement UN-backed peace efforts, rather than replace them, and want to involve regional players like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan. Washington is conspicuously absent from the new process, but Moscow said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump's administration on board once he takes office in January. (AFP)

Syria ceasefire: Clashes reported near Damascus despite truce

Syrian troops strengthened their hold over Aleppo on Friday after retaking full control of the city, as residents anxious to return to their homes moved through its ruined streets.

The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo following a landmark evacuation deal that saw thousands of opposition fighters and residents bussed out.

It was the biggest victory for President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces in nearly six years of civil war and a major win for his foreign backers, with key ally Russia hailing the &quot;very important&quot; step.

&nbsp;

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Syrians celebrate in Aleppo after the army said it has retaken full control of the country&#39;s second city. (AFP)
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&nbsp;

Braving the cold, war-weary residents crossed districts that had become dangerous front lines, eager to return to neighbourhoods they had not seen in years.

An AFP correspondent saw civilians wrapped in coats trekking through the cold, some rolling their belongings on wheelbarrows.

&quot;I came to check on my house, which I haven&#39;t seen in five years,&quot; resident Khaled al-Masri said. &quot;I really hope my home wasn&#39;t badly damaged.&quot;

The evacuation operation ended more than four years of fierce fighting in Aleppo, which had been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since 2012.

Opposition forces still control an area west of Aleppo and at least two civilians were killed Friday in the first rebel rocket fire on the city since it fell under government control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Seven civilians were also wounded in the fire on the Al-Hamdaniyeh district, the Britain-based monitor said, while state news agency SANA reported three killed.

&#39;Nothing left&#39;

The evacuation agreement was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporter Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Assad Friday to congratulate him on the &quot;liberation&quot; of Aleppo, the Kremlin said.

&quot;This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria,&quot; it said.

Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo&#39;s recapture, calling it a &quot;very important part of the normalisation in Syria&quot;, saying the next step would be &quot;conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria&#39;s territory&quot;.

The Kremlin also announced Putin had signed an order to expand Russia&#39;s naval facility in the Syrian city of Tartus, while Russian military police had been despatched to recaptured parts of Aleppo.

&quot;We sent in a battalion of military police yesterday evening to maintain order in the liberated territories,&quot; Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

On Friday morning, government fighters moved into Ansari, Al-Mashhad, and other neighbourhoods they had not entered since mid-2012.

&nbsp;

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Heavy snowfall slowed the evacuation of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo. (AFP)
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&nbsp;

They searched for improvised explosive devices and mines, clearing buildings to prepare the way for civilians to return, the Observatory said. As they finished sweeping through the main streets, soldiers moved into the smaller alleyways to check for bombs, an AFP correspondent in one district said.

In Bustan al-Qasr, a heavily damaged neighbourhood near Aleppo&#39;s famed Old City, bulldozers removed rubble from the streets.

As the army moved through Al-Mayssar district, Umm Abdo, 42, said she had found her former home but it had been destroyed.

&quot;There&#39;s nothing left... but houses can be rebuilt,&quot; she said. Syria&#39;s war transformed Aleppo from the country&#39;s industrial hub to a worldwide symbol of bloodshed and devastation.

The army on Thursday announced &quot;the return of security to Aleppo after its release from terrorism and terrorists&quot;.

&#39;Toughest battles&#39;

The regime victory came after state television said the last convoy of four buses carrying rebels and civilians had left east Aleppo and arrived in the government-controlled Ramussa district south of the city.

The evacuation deal, overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent, put an end to a month-long offensive waged on Aleppo&#39;s east by pro-government forces.

The assault was backed by pro-government militia, including powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.

In a televised speech on Friday, Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said the army&#39;s win in Aleppo put an end to any hopes Assad&#39;s regime would collapse.

&quot;After Aleppo, one can comfortably say that the goal of regime downfall has failed,&quot; Nasrallah said.

He described the fight for Aleppo as &quot;one of the toughest battles that the region has seen in years.&quot;

The ICRC said the evacuation operation had seen 35,000 people bussed out of Aleppo and another 1,200 evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority towns in north-west Syria besieged by rebels.

&nbsp;

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Members of the Saint Elias Cathedral committee inspect the damage inside east Aleppo&#39;s crumbling church. (AFP)
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&nbsp;

Nearly six years in, the conflict has killed more than 310,000 people and displaced half of Syria&#39;s pre-war population.

As well as a major strategic gain for Assad, the army&#39;s win in Aleppo has put the spotlight on the role of powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey, which agreed this week to guarantee new peace talks and backed expanding a ceasefire.

Repeated attempts at peace for Syria have failed, but UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he hopes to convene fresh talks in Geneva in February.

In other violence, the Islamic State group killed 27 Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in a series of attacks near the ancient city of Palmyra in the past 24 hours, the Observatory said.

(AFP)

The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo

Syrian troops strengthened their hold over Aleppo on Friday after retaking full control of the city, as residents anxious to return to their homes moved through its ruined streets. The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo following a landmark evacuation deal that saw thousands of opposition fighters and residents bussed out. It was the biggest victory for President Bashar al-Assad's forces in nearly six years of civil war and a major win for his foreign backers, with key ally Russia hailing the "very important" step. Syrians celebrate in Aleppo after the army said it has retaken full control of the country's second city. (AFP) × Braving the cold, war-weary residents crossed districts that had become dangerous front lines, eager to return to neighbourhoods they had not seen in years. An AFP correspondent saw civilians wrapped in coats trekking through the cold, some rolling their belongings on wheelbarrows. "I came to check on my house, which I haven't seen in five years," resident Khaled al-Masri said. "I really hope my home wasn't badly damaged." The evacuation operation ended more than four years of fierce fighting in Aleppo, which had been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since 2012. Opposition forces still control an area west of Aleppo and at least two civilians were killed Friday in the first rebel rocket fire on the city since it fell under government control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Seven civilians were also wounded in the fire on the Al-Hamdaniyeh district, the Britain-based monitor said, while state news agency SANA reported three killed. 'Nothing left' The evacuation agreement was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporter Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Assad Friday to congratulate him on the "liberation" of Aleppo, the Kremlin said. "This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria," it said. Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo's recapture, calling it a "very important part of the normalisation in Syria", saying the next step would be "conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria's territory". The Kremlin also announced Putin had signed an order to expand Russia's naval facility in the Syrian city of Tartus, while Russian military police had been despatched to recaptured parts of Aleppo. "We sent in a battalion of military police yesterday evening to maintain order in the liberated territories," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. On Friday morning, government fighters moved into Ansari, Al-Mashhad, and other neighbourhoods they had not entered since mid-2012. Heavy snowfall slowed the evacuation of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo. (AFP) × They searched for improvised explosive devices and mines, clearing buildings to prepare the way for civilians to return, the Observatory said. As they finished sweeping through the main streets, soldiers moved into the smaller alleyways to check for bombs, an AFP correspondent in one district said. In Bustan al-Qasr, a heavily damaged neighbourhood near Aleppo's famed Old City, bulldozers removed rubble from the streets. As the army moved through Al-Mayssar district, Umm Abdo, 42, said she had found her former home but it had been destroyed. "There's nothing left... but houses can be rebuilt," she said. Syria's war transformed Aleppo from the country's industrial hub to a worldwide symbol of bloodshed and devastation. The army on Thursday announced "the return of security to Aleppo after its release from terrorism and terrorists". 'Toughest battles' The regime victory came after state television said the last convoy of four buses carrying rebels and civilians had left east Aleppo and arrived in the government-controlled Ramussa district south of the city. The evacuation deal, overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent, put an end to a month-long offensive waged on Aleppo's east by pro-government forces. The assault was backed by pro-government militia, including powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. In a televised speech on Friday, Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said the army's win in Aleppo put an end to any hopes Assad's regime would collapse. "After Aleppo, one can comfortably say that the goal of regime downfall has failed," Nasrallah said. He described the fight for Aleppo as "one of the toughest battles that the region has seen in years." The ICRC said the evacuation operation had seen 35,000 people bussed out of Aleppo and another 1,200 evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority towns in north-west Syria besieged by rebels. Members of the Saint Elias Cathedral committee inspect the damage inside east Aleppo's crumbling church. (AFP) × Nearly six years in, the conflict has killed more than 310,000 people and displaced half of Syria's pre-war population. As well as a major strategic gain for Assad, the army's win in Aleppo has put the spotlight on the role of powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey, which agreed this week to guarantee new peace talks and backed expanding a ceasefire. Repeated attempts at peace for Syria have failed, but UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he hopes to convene fresh talks in Geneva in February. In other violence, the Islamic State group killed 27 Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in a series of attacks near the ancient city of Palmyra in the past 24 hours, the Observatory said. (AFP)

Syria army, civilians reclaim ruined Aleppo streets

The Syrian army on Thursday said has full control of &nbsp;Aleppo, the government&#39;s biggest achievement in nearly&nbsp;six years of fighting.

The announcement was made as the last of the rebel fighters were evacuated from the war-torn city.&nbsp;

&quot;The liberation of Aleppo is not only a victory for Syria but also for those who really contribute to the fight against terrorism, notably Russia and Iran,&quot; state news agency SANA quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying on Thursday.&nbsp;

The Syrian government now controls five major cities: Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Damascus, and Latakia.

According to the Red Cross, more than 4,000 rebel fighters have been evacuated during the final stages of the evacuation process.

The loss of east Aleppo is the biggest blow for the rebel fighters since the conflict began in 2011, which left more than&nbsp;310,000 people dead.

However, the evacuation process was met with difficulties, due to heavy snowfall and fall in temperatures..

&quot;Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo,&quot; said Ingy Sedky, the spokeswoman in Syria for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Sedky said about 34,000 people had left rebel areas of Aleppo under the evacuation plan.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

The loss of east Aleppo is the biggest blow to the rebel fighters since the conflict began in 2011, which left more than?310,000 dead

The Syrian army on Thursday said has full control of Aleppo, the government's biggest achievement in nearly six years of fighting. The announcement was made as the last of the rebel fighters were evacuated from the war-torn city. "The liberation of Aleppo is not only a victory for Syria but also for those who really contribute to the fight against terrorism, notably Russia and Iran," state news agency SANA quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying on Thursday. The Syrian government now controls five major cities: Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Damascus, and Latakia. According to the Red Cross, more than 4,000 rebel fighters have been evacuated during the final stages of the evacuation process. The loss of east Aleppo is the biggest blow for the rebel fighters since the conflict began in 2011, which left more than 310,000 people dead. However, the evacuation process was met with difficulties, due to heavy snowfall and fall in temperatures.. "Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo," said Ingy Sedky, the spokeswoman in Syria for the International Committee of the Red Cross. Sedky said about 34,000 people had left rebel areas of Aleppo under the evacuation plan. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Syrian army: Aleppo recaptured after evacuation

Some 350 people were able to leave despite evacuations officially suspended until further notice, a medical official said.

Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a team of doctors coordinating evacuations to Khan al-Assal told AFP, &quot;Five buses carrying the evacuees arrived from besieged parts of east Aleppo.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;They were in a terrible state, Dbis told AFP.

&quot;They hadn&#39;t eaten, they had nothing to drink, the children had caught colds, they were not even able to go to the toilet,&quot; he added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that 350 people were able to be evacuated after Russia and Turkey urged the Syrian regime to allow the buses to pass its final control point.

From Khan al-Assal people will be able to travel to Idlib and other parts of Aleppo.

The evacuation process had been postponed after buses were attacked and torched by armed men.

The buses were meant for&nbsp;two Shiite villages, Fuaa and Kafraya. &nbsp;

There was a dispute over how many people would be evacuated from the two villages.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security guarantee was needed before evacuation process resumed, after one bus driver was killed in the attack.

The Rights monitor also said the buses will not leave until the people of Fuaa and Kafraya were&nbsp;able to leave.

Before the suspension, buses had arrived in Aleppo under&nbsp;Red Crescent and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) &nbsp;&quot;to bring the remaining terrorists and their families out,&quot; state news agency SANA said, referring to the rebels.

Some&nbsp;100 buses would take people out, SANA had reported.&nbsp;

Under the terms of deal signed between the Syrian government and the rebels, the rebels and their families along with civilians will be allowed to leave for government-held areas.&nbsp;

Evacuations will also take place&nbsp;from Zabadani and Madaya, two regime-besieged rebel towns in Damascus province, as part of the deal, a rebel representative had confirmed.

Before evacuation operations were halted around 8,500 people, including some 3,000 rebels, left for rebel-held territory elsewhere in the north, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

The evacuations have been stopped until further notice after gunmen torched buses sent for people from two Shitte villages, Fuaa and Kafraya

Some 350 people were able to leave despite evacuations officially suspended until further notice, a medical official said. Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a team of doctors coordinating evacuations to Khan al-Assal told AFP, "Five buses carrying the evacuees arrived from besieged parts of east Aleppo." "They were in a terrible state, Dbis told AFP. "They hadn't eaten, they had nothing to drink, the children had caught colds, they were not even able to go to the toilet," he added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that 350 people were able to be evacuated after Russia and Turkey urged the Syrian regime to allow the buses to pass its final control point. From Khan al-Assal people will be able to travel to Idlib and other parts of Aleppo. The evacuation process had been postponed after buses were attacked and torched by armed men. The buses were meant for two Shiite villages, Fuaa and Kafraya. There was a dispute over how many people would be evacuated from the two villages. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security guarantee was needed before evacuation process resumed, after one bus driver was killed in the attack. The Rights monitor also said the buses will not leave until the people of Fuaa and Kafraya were able to leave. Before the suspension, buses had arrived in Aleppo under Red Crescent and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) "to bring the remaining terrorists and their families out," state news agency SANA said, referring to the rebels. Some 100 buses would take people out, SANA had reported. Under the terms of deal signed between the Syrian government and the rebels, the rebels and their families along with civilians will be allowed to leave for government-held areas. Evacuations will also take place from Zabadani and Madaya, two regime-besieged rebel towns in Damascus province, as part of the deal, a rebel representative had confirmed. Before evacuation operations were halted around 8,500 people, including some 3,000 rebels, left for rebel-held territory elsewhere in the north, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Aleppo: 350 people manage to leave despite postponed evacuations

The Syrian army and its allies made sweeping advances in Aleppo on Monday, raining fire on rebels and pushing them to the brink of collapse in a shrinking enclave packed with civilians who said they faced &quot;doomsday in Aleppo&quot;.

&quot;The bombardment did not stop for a moment overnight,&quot; said a Reuters journalist in the government-held zone of the city, describing it as the most intense for days.&nbsp;

Pro-government forces were clashing with insurgents in Fardous district, which was at the heart of the besieged pocket only days ago, after taking Sheikh Saeed in the south and Saliheen in the east, a rebel official said.&nbsp;

&quot;The situation is extremely difficult today,&quot; said Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group fighting in Aleppo.&nbsp;

The rebels&#39; sudden retreat represented a &quot;big collapse in terrorist morale&quot;, a Syrian military source said.&nbsp;

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is now close to taking back full control of Aleppo, which was Syria`s most populous city before the war and would be his greatest prize so far after nearly six years of conflict.

Rebel groups in Aleppo received a US-Russian proposal on Sunday for a withdrawal of fighters and civilians from the city&#39;s opposition areas, but Moscow said no agreement had been reached yet in talks in Geneva to end the crisis peacefully.

&quot;People run from one shelling to another to escape death and just to save their souls... It`s doomsday in Aleppo, yes doomsday in Aleppo,&quot; said Abu Amer Iqab, a former government employee in the Sukkari district in the heart of the rebel enclave.

The rebel official blamed Russia for the lack of progress in talks, saying it had no incentive to compromise while its ally Assad was gaining ground. &quot;The Russians are being evasive. They are looking at the military situation. Now they are advancing,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

While Alepp&#39;s fall would deal a stunning blow to rebels trying to remove Assad from power, he would still be far from restoring control across Syria. Swathes of the country remain in rebel hands, and on Sunday Islamic State retook Palmyra.

Tens of thousands of civilians remain in rebel-held areas, hemmed in by ever-changing front lines, pounded by air strikes and shelling, and without basic supplies, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group.&nbsp;

Fighting

The Observatory said the Sheikh Saeed district had fallen to the army in fighting on Sunday night and early on Monday and troops were firing on the districts of Karam al-Daadaa and Fardous.&nbsp;

An advance into those districts would take the army into the heart of the area held by rebels as recently as Saturday, pushing them towards a last bastion of control on the west bank of Aleppo`s river and the area southwest of the citadel.&nbsp;

The Syrian army is backed by Russian war planes and Shi`ite militias supported by Iran. The mostly Sunni rebels include groups backed by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies as well as hardline jihadists who are not supported by the West.

A correspondent for Syria`s official SANA news agency said the army had taken control of Sheikh Saeed, and more than 3,500 people had left at dawn.

A Syrian official told Reuters: &quot;We managed to take full control of the Sheikh Saeed district. This area is very important because it facilitates access to al-Amariya and allows us to secure a greater part of the Aleppo-Ramousah road.&quot; The road is the main entry point to the city from the south.

The loss of Palmyra, an ancient desert city whose recapture from Islamic State in March was heralded by Damascus and Moscow as vindicating Russia`s entry into the war, is an embarrassing setback to Assad.&nbsp;

The Observatory reported that the jihadist group carried out eight executions of Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in Palmyra on Monday while warplanes bombarded their positions around the city.&nbsp;

Another four people, including two children, were shot dead while the jihadists cleared the city of pro-government forces, it said.&nbsp;

Civilians

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that 728 rebels had laid down their weapons over the previous 24 hours and relocated to western Aleppo. It said 13,346 civilians left rebel-controlled districts of Aleppo over the same period.

The Observatory said that four weeks into the army offensive at least 415 civilians, including 47 children, had been killed in rebel-held parts of the city.

Hundreds had been injured by Russian and Syrian air strikes and shelling by government forces and its allies on the besieged eastern part of the city.

The Observatory said 364 rebel fighters had been killed in the eastern sector. It said rebel shelling of government-held west Aleppo had killed 130 civilians, including 40 children. Dozens had been injured.

The army on Sunday took foreign journalists to witness an enlistment ceremony for 220 men, including former rebels and others from opposition-held areas captured by the government. The fate of young men leaving the shrinking rebel pocket in Aleppo has been a subject of argument between the two sides.&nbsp;

Opposition supporters have accused the government of mass arrests and extrajudicial killings, which Damascus has denied. The government accuses rebels of forcing people to fight for them and preventing them leaving, which the insurgents deny.

The United Nations said last week it was concerned about reports that hundreds of young men had been detained upon leaving the rebel-held enclave.

(Reuters)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is now close to taking back full control of Aleppo, which was Syria's most populous city before the war

The Syrian army and its allies made sweeping advances in Aleppo on Monday, raining fire on rebels and pushing them to the brink of collapse in a shrinking enclave packed with civilians who said they faced "doomsday in Aleppo". "The bombardment did not stop for a moment overnight," said a Reuters journalist in the government-held zone of the city, describing it as the most intense for days. Pro-government forces were clashing with insurgents in Fardous district, which was at the heart of the besieged pocket only days ago, after taking Sheikh Saeed in the south and Saliheen in the east, a rebel official said. "The situation is extremely difficult today," said Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group fighting in Aleppo. The rebels' sudden retreat represented a "big collapse in terrorist morale", a Syrian military source said. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is now close to taking back full control of Aleppo, which was Syria`s most populous city before the war and would be his greatest prize so far after nearly six years of conflict. Rebel groups in Aleppo received a US-Russian proposal on Sunday for a withdrawal of fighters and civilians from the city's opposition areas, but Moscow said no agreement had been reached yet in talks in Geneva to end the crisis peacefully. "People run from one shelling to another to escape death and just to save their souls... It`s doomsday in Aleppo, yes doomsday in Aleppo," said Abu Amer Iqab, a former government employee in the Sukkari district in the heart of the rebel enclave. The rebel official blamed Russia for the lack of progress in talks, saying it had no incentive to compromise while its ally Assad was gaining ground. "The Russians are being evasive. They are looking at the military situation. Now they are advancing," he said. While Alepp's fall would deal a stunning blow to rebels trying to remove Assad from power, he would still be far from restoring control across Syria. Swathes of the country remain in rebel hands, and on Sunday Islamic State retook Palmyra. Tens of thousands of civilians remain in rebel-held areas, hemmed in by ever-changing front lines, pounded by air strikes and shelling, and without basic supplies, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group. Fighting The Observatory said the Sheikh Saeed district had fallen to the army in fighting on Sunday night and early on Monday and troops were firing on the districts of Karam al-Daadaa and Fardous. An advance into those districts would take the army into the heart of the area held by rebels as recently as Saturday, pushing them towards a last bastion of control on the west bank of Aleppo`s river and the area southwest of the citadel. The Syrian army is backed by Russian war planes and Shi`ite militias supported by Iran. The mostly Sunni rebels include groups backed by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies as well as hardline jihadists who are not supported by the West. A correspondent for Syria`s official SANA news agency said the army had taken control of Sheikh Saeed, and more than 3,500 people had left at dawn. A Syrian official told Reuters: "We managed to take full control of the Sheikh Saeed district. This area is very important because it facilitates access to al-Amariya and allows us to secure a greater part of the Aleppo-Ramousah road." The road is the main entry point to the city from the south. The loss of Palmyra, an ancient desert city whose recapture from Islamic State in March was heralded by Damascus and Moscow as vindicating Russia`s entry into the war, is an embarrassing setback to Assad. The Observatory reported that the jihadist group carried out eight executions of Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in Palmyra on Monday while warplanes bombarded their positions around the city. Another four people, including two children, were shot dead while the jihadists cleared the city of pro-government forces, it said. Civilians The Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that 728 rebels had laid down their weapons over the previous 24 hours and relocated to western Aleppo. It said 13,346 civilians left rebel-controlled districts of Aleppo over the same period. The Observatory said that four weeks into the army offensive at least 415 civilians, including 47 children, had been killed in rebel-held parts of the city. Hundreds had been injured by Russian and Syrian air strikes and shelling by government forces and its allies on the besieged eastern part of the city. The Observatory said 364 rebel fighters had been killed in the eastern sector. It said rebel shelling of government-held west Aleppo had killed 130 civilians, including 40 children. Dozens had been injured. The army on Sunday took foreign journalists to witness an enlistment ceremony for 220 men, including former rebels and others from opposition-held areas captured by the government. The fate of young men leaving the shrinking rebel pocket in Aleppo has been a subject of argument between the two sides. Opposition supporters have accused the government of mass arrests and extrajudicial killings, which Damascus has denied. The government accuses rebels of forcing people to fight for them and preventing them leaving, which the insurgents deny. The United Nations said last week it was concerned about reports that hundreds of young men had been detained upon leaving the rebel-held enclave. (Reuters)

Syrian army takes Aleppo districts amid bombardment

The Islamic State jihadist group claimed responsibility for a spate of bomb attacks across Syria on Monday that left dozens dead in mostly government-controlled territory.&nbsp; 
 
The IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said the jihadist group was behind a &quot;string of simultaneous suicide attacks&quot; in Damascus, coastal Tartus, central Homs, and Hasakeh in the northeast. 
 
At least 48 people died in the blasts, Syrian state media reported, a majority of them in a double bombing in President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s coastal stronghold of Tartus.&nbsp; 
 
Quoting the head of Al-Bassel hospital in Tartus, state television said 35 people were killed and 43 others wounded in the attack.&nbsp; 
 
In the northeast of the country, at least eight people were killed by a bomber on a motorbike in Hasakeh city, which is mostly controlled by Kurdish forces, though the regime is also present. 
 
State media said the dead were six members of the Kurds&#39; Asayesh security forces and two civilians. 
 
Amaq said in a statement that a bomber wearing a suicide belt had attacked an Asayesh checkpoint there. 
 
Another four people were killed in a car bomb in Homs city&#39;s Al-Zahraa neighbourhood, whose residents mostly belong to the same Alawite sect as Assad.&nbsp; 
 
A bomb attack was also reported on Al-Sabura road west of the capital Damascus, with state media saying one person was killed and three were wounded. 
 
(AFP)

The IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said the jihadist group was behind a 'string of simultaneous suicide attacks'

The Islamic State jihadist group claimed responsibility for a spate of bomb attacks across Syria on Monday that left dozens dead in mostly government-controlled territory. The IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said the jihadist group was behind a "string of simultaneous suicide attacks" in Damascus, coastal Tartus, central Homs, and Hasakeh in the northeast. At least 48 people died in the blasts, Syrian state media reported, a majority of them in a double bombing in President Bashar al-Assad's coastal stronghold of Tartus. Quoting the head of Al-Bassel hospital in Tartus, state television said 35 people were killed and 43 others wounded in the attack. In the northeast of the country, at least eight people were killed by a bomber on a motorbike in Hasakeh city, which is mostly controlled by Kurdish forces, though the regime is also present. State media said the dead were six members of the Kurds' Asayesh security forces and two civilians. Amaq said in a statement that a bomber wearing a suicide belt had attacked an Asayesh checkpoint there. Another four people were killed in a car bomb in Homs city's Al-Zahraa neighbourhood, whose residents mostly belong to the same Alawite sect as Assad. A bomb attack was also reported on Al-Sabura road west of the capital Damascus, with state media saying one person was killed and three were wounded. (AFP)

48 dead in IS-claimed string of bomb attacks across Syria

Syrian regime forces and rebel factions sent hundreds of reinforcements to Aleppo today as opposition fighters announced an all-out offensive to take the country&#39;s second city. 
 
The battle for Syria&#39;s former economic powerhouse is intensifying after an opposition advance at the weekend broke through a three-week government siege of the city&#39;s rebel-held east, dealing a major setback to regime troops. 
 
Rebel forces yesterday announced a bid to capture all of Aleppo city, which if successful would mark the biggest opposition victory yet in Syria&#39;s five-year civil war. 
 
But forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are putting up a fierce fight and have begun pouring reinforcements into the city. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said some 2,000 pro-regime fighters from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah had arrived in Aleppo since late yesterday. 
 
&quot;Both sides are amassing their fighters in preparation for the great battle of Aleppo,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Observatory. 
 
The Monday edition of Al-Watan, a Syrian daily close to the government, reported that the army had received &quot;the necessary military reinforcements to launch the battle to retake the areas from which it withdrew.&quot; 
 
Citing a source on the ground, the paper said military warplanes &quot;are carrying out a barrage of air strikes targeting the armed groups.&quot; 
 
&#39;New phase to liberate Aleppo&#39; 
 
Aleppo has been roughly divided between government forces in the west and rebel groups in the east since fighting first broke out there in mid-2012. 
 
After years of stalemate, fighting for the city entered a new phase last month when government forces took control of the last supply road into rebel-held areas, leaving some 250,000 people in eastern districts surrounded. 
 
In a desperate bid to break the siege, a coalition of rebels, Islamists and jihadists overran a series of buildings in a military academy on the southwestern edges of Aleppo on Saturday. 
 
They then pushed northeast to link up with rebel groups inside the city. 
 
Emboldened by the victory, the fighters - largely grouped under the banner of the Army of Conquest - then set their sights on recapturing all of Aleppo city. 
 
In a statement yesterday, the Army of Conquest announced &quot;the start of a new phase to liberate all of Aleppo,&quot; pledging to &quot;double the number of fighters for this next battle.&quot; 
 
Abdel Rahman told AFP today that hundreds of opposition fighters had arrived in Aleppo from the surrounding province and neighbouring Idlib. 
 
Most were from the Fateh al-Sham Front, the powerful jihadist group previously affiliated with Al-Qaeda that leads the Army of Conquest. The group changed its name from Al-Nusra Front last month after breaking with Al-Qaeda. 
 
&quot;Whoever wins (in Aleppo), the war will not end. It is however an important battle, the result of which will set the course of the conflict,&quot; said Thomas Pierret, a Syria expert at the University of Edinburgh. 
 
&quot;If the rebels win, Syria will head towards partition, with a regime arc in the Golan Heights, Damascus, Homs, and the coast,&quot; he said. 
 
But if the regime wins, Pierret expected a &quot;collapse&quot; of the rebel insurgency in its heartland of Idlib. 
 
Aid to regime areas 
 
Residents of both sides of the city have been living in fear of competing sieges of their neighbourhoods in recent weeks. 
 
The rebel advance at the weekend cut off a key regime access route on the city&#39;s southern edges, which had been used to bring in supplies for the estimated 1.2 million residents of western districts. 
 
Overnight, regime forces brought in dozens of trucks carrying food and fuel into the western neighbourhoods via the northern Castello Road, according to the Observatory. 
 
&quot;This is the new route that the regime forces are securing as a temporary alternative to the route they previously depended on,&quot; Abdel Rahman said. 
 
Syrian state television Al-Ikhbariyah confirmed that &quot;fuel, food, and vegetables entered Aleppo city.&quot; 
 
A military source in Damascus denied that the city&#39;s west had been besieged, saying &quot;the situation is under control and the situation is not worrisome.&quot; 
 
Seven trucks of fruits and vegetables entered the eastern rebel-held districts today and were quickly purchased by residents. 
 
More than 280,000 people have been killed since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests. 
 
International efforts to resolve the conflict have repeatedly failed though the United Nations is hoping that peace talks can resume later this month. 
 
(AFP)

Rebel groups and the government are amassing their fighters for the battle to keep hold of Aleppo city

Syrian regime forces and rebel factions sent hundreds of reinforcements to Aleppo today as opposition fighters announced an all-out offensive to take the country's second city. The battle for Syria's former economic powerhouse is intensifying after an opposition advance at the weekend broke through a three-week government siege of the city's rebel-held east, dealing a major setback to regime troops. Rebel forces yesterday announced a bid to capture all of Aleppo city, which if successful would mark the biggest opposition victory yet in Syria's five-year civil war. But forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are putting up a fierce fight and have begun pouring reinforcements into the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said some 2,000 pro-regime fighters from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah had arrived in Aleppo since late yesterday. "Both sides are amassing their fighters in preparation for the great battle of Aleppo," said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Observatory. The Monday edition of Al-Watan, a Syrian daily close to the government, reported that the army had received "the necessary military reinforcements to launch the battle to retake the areas from which it withdrew." Citing a source on the ground, the paper said military warplanes "are carrying out a barrage of air strikes targeting the armed groups." 'New phase to liberate Aleppo' Aleppo has been roughly divided between government forces in the west and rebel groups in the east since fighting first broke out there in mid-2012. After years of stalemate, fighting for the city entered a new phase last month when government forces took control of the last supply road into rebel-held areas, leaving some 250,000 people in eastern districts surrounded. In a desperate bid to break the siege, a coalition of rebels, Islamists and jihadists overran a series of buildings in a military academy on the southwestern edges of Aleppo on Saturday. They then pushed northeast to link up with rebel groups inside the city. Emboldened by the victory, the fighters - largely grouped under the banner of the Army of Conquest - then set their sights on recapturing all of Aleppo city. In a statement yesterday, the Army of Conquest announced "the start of a new phase to liberate all of Aleppo," pledging to "double the number of fighters for this next battle." Abdel Rahman told AFP today that hundreds of opposition fighters had arrived in Aleppo from the surrounding province and neighbouring Idlib. Most were from the Fateh al-Sham Front, the powerful jihadist group previously affiliated with Al-Qaeda that leads the Army of Conquest. The group changed its name from Al-Nusra Front last month after breaking with Al-Qaeda. "Whoever wins (in Aleppo), the war will not end. It is however an important battle, the result of which will set the course of the conflict," said Thomas Pierret, a Syria expert at the University of Edinburgh. "If the rebels win, Syria will head towards partition, with a regime arc in the Golan Heights, Damascus, Homs, and the coast," he said. But if the regime wins, Pierret expected a "collapse" of the rebel insurgency in its heartland of Idlib. Aid to regime areas Residents of both sides of the city have been living in fear of competing sieges of their neighbourhoods in recent weeks. The rebel advance at the weekend cut off a key regime access route on the city's southern edges, which had been used to bring in supplies for the estimated 1.2 million residents of western districts. Overnight, regime forces brought in dozens of trucks carrying food and fuel into the western neighbourhoods via the northern Castello Road, according to the Observatory. "This is the new route that the regime forces are securing as a temporary alternative to the route they previously depended on," Abdel Rahman said. Syrian state television Al-Ikhbariyah confirmed that "fuel, food, and vegetables entered Aleppo city." A military source in Damascus denied that the city's west had been besieged, saying "the situation is under control and the situation is not worrisome." Seven trucks of fruits and vegetables entered the eastern rebel-held districts today and were quickly purchased by residents. More than 280,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests. International efforts to resolve the conflict have repeatedly failed though the United Nations is hoping that peace talks can resume later this month. (AFP)

Hundreds join crucial battle for Syria's Aleppo

The Syrian regime has sent in hundreds of reinforcements after rebel forces announced all-out effort to take the country's second city

Govt, opposition amass fighters for 'great battle of Aleppo'

Al Qaeda&#39;s powerful Syrian branch announced yesterday it was ending its relationship with the global jihadist network founded by Osama bin Laden and changing its name, to remove what it called a pretext used by world powers to attack Syrians. 
 
In the first known video statement ever to show his face, the leader of the Nusra Front, Mohamad al-Golani, announced that the group would re-form under a new name, with &quot;no ties with any foreign party&quot;. 
 
The move was being made &quot;to remove the excuse used by the international community - spearheaded by America and Russia - to bombard and displace Muslims in the Levant: that they are targeting the Nusra Front which is associated with Al Qaeda,&quot; he said. The group would now be called Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. 
 
Golani appeared in the video flanked by two other Nusra Front figures, in front of Jabhat Fatah al Sham&#39;s new white flag. Nusra Front&#39;s old flag was black, the colour used by ultra-hardline jihadist groups such as Al Qaeda and Islamic State. 
 
Earlier yesterday, bin Laden&#39;s successor as al Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, announced that he was giving the Nusra Front his blessing to break away. In his message, Golani thanked Zawahri for putting the interests of the Syrian people ahead of organisational interests. 
 
The move appeared to be an attempt to appeal to Syrians who have long had deep misgivings about Nusra&#39;s links with al Qaeda and the significant presence of foreign jihadists among its ranks, which set it apart from Western-backed rebel groups. 
 
It could alter the strategic alignment on the ground in Syria if the renamed Nusra gains acceptance among other rebel groups fighting against President Bashar al-Assad. 
 
But Assad and his Russian allies are unlikely to accept the rebranding as requiring them to halt military operations that have put the Syrian leader in the strongest position on the battlefield for years. 
 
The Nusra Front, long one of the most powerful rebel forces in Syria&#39;s five-year, multi-sided civil war, was excluded along with Islamic State from a US and Russian-backed ceasefire this year, a loophole other rebels blamed for the truce&#39;s collapse. 
 
Nusra is listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and United Nations. Assad&#39;s other opponents have long said its presence gave the government and its Russian allies a pretext to abandon the truce and launch advances under the cover of anti-terrorist operations permitted under the ceasefire. 
 
Aleppo siege tightens 
 
The Nusra announcement came as Syria&#39;s government and its Russian allies launched what they called a &quot;humanitarian operation&quot; in the rebel-held sector of Aleppo, Syria&#39;s largest city before the war, which government forces have held under effective siege since early July. 
 
Although Moscow and Damascus described their new plans for rebel-held Aleppo as an operation to aid people trapped there, Western countries are worried that the real aim is to depopulate the area ahead of an offensive to storm it. 
 
Aleppo has been divided into rebel and government zones for years. Asserting full control would be the biggest victory for Assad&#39;s government so far, and a potential turning point in a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands, spawned the world&#39;s worst refugee crisis and drawn in most regional and world powers. 
 
Rebel-held parts of Aleppo have been bombarded since Wednesday with air-dropped leaflets telling civilians they would be given safe passage out and providing maps to exit routes designated as safe corridors. Yesterday Assad ordered rebel fighters in the city to surrender within three months. 
 
Around 250,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in the rebel zone of Aleppo. The United Nations says food supplies will run out within weeks. 
 
Assad said rebels who surrender within three months would be given an amnesty. State television quoted the governor of Aleppo as saying three humanitarian corridors would be established so residents could safely leave. 
 
Russia said a fourth corridor would be set up in the north of the city for surrendering rebels, near the Castello Road, the main land route into the rebel sector, most of which the army seized to complete its encirclement. 
 
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said: &quot;On behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, today, (we will) start a large-scale humanitarian operation together with the Syrian government to help civilians in Aleppo.&quot; 
 
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said helicopters over rebel-held areas dropped baby diapers and meal packs that had Russian-language labels. 
 
&quot;If it is a genuine humanitarian proposal then clearly it will be accompanied by an end to the bombing campaign and by Russian support for other aspects of this comprehensive approach to the humanitarian situation in Aleppo,&rdquo; British ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft told reporters in New York. 
 
&ldquo;Clearly the UN and the rest of us cannot be complicit in anything else, for instance an form of emptying of Aleppo or preparing for an onslaught of Aleppo or indeed any continuation of this medieval siege of Aleppo which is going on.&quot; 
 
The proposed safe corridors did not appear to be open so far. Two rebels and aid workers contacted in besieged Aleppo said the army fired at civilians in one of the safe corridors, in the Salah al Din district. A doctor for a medical charity that operates in Aleppo also said the army had fired artillery at families gathering near another humanitarian corridor, in the opposition-held Bustan al Qasr neighbourhood. 
 
Hael Asi Hilal, head of the Syrian Red Crescent in rebel-held areas, said no family so far had been able to leave via any corridor due to snipers firing at them. 
 
The army, backed by allied militia forces and air support from Syrian and Russian jets, has meanwhile taken more ground on the northern edge of the city. State television said the army had advanced in the Bani Zeid district, on the southern side of the Castello road. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-government forces had taken full control of the district. 
 
A rebel source confirmed that the army had made advances. He said Kurdish forces from the nearby Sheikh Maqsoud district had also taken advantage of the fighting to advance into a housing complex in Bani Zeid. 
 
&quot;There has been a (rebel) withdrawal, but no one has surrendered,&quot; Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim group told Reuters. 
 
The United States and Russia are both leading separate military campaigns against Islamic State in Syria but are otherwise supporting opposite sides in the wider civil war, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington saying he must leave power. 
 
The Cold War-era superpowers jointly sponsored the ceasefire earlier this year that led to UN brokered peace talks. But that collapsed in May and since then government forces have been advancing with Russian support. 
 
US Secretary of State John Kerry has been holding talks with Russians with the aim of building a system of military cooperation that would allow them to jointly identify legitimate targets not covered by the truce. But so far the negotiations have yet to bear fruit. 
 
A Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Washington&#39;s stance would allow militants to regroup since it would call for a ceasefire before distinguishing between terrorists and other opposition groups. 
 
&quot;There is an element here of a political ruse at least,&quot; Sergei Ryabkov said. 
 
One US national security official said it was difficult to negotiate with the Russians as long as the wider objectives of Moscow and Washington diverge. 
 
&ldquo;The Russians want to destroy ISIS to save Assad,&rdquo; the official said. &ldquo;We want to destroy ISIS to eliminate a terrorist threat and start a political process to remove Assad, whom President (Barack) Obama has said must go.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)

The leader of the Nusra Front, Mohamad al-Golani, appeared in a video in front of the group's new white flag and announced the split

Al Qaeda's powerful Syrian branch announced yesterday it was ending its relationship with the global jihadist network founded by Osama bin Laden and changing its name, to remove what it called a pretext used by world powers to attack Syrians. In the first known video statement ever to show his face, the leader of the Nusra Front, Mohamad al-Golani, announced that the group would re-form under a new name, with "no ties with any foreign party". The move was being made "to remove the excuse used by the international community - spearheaded by America and Russia - to bombard and displace Muslims in the Levant: that they are targeting the Nusra Front which is associated with Al Qaeda," he said. The group would now be called Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. Golani appeared in the video flanked by two other Nusra Front figures, in front of Jabhat Fatah al Sham's new white flag. Nusra Front's old flag was black, the colour used by ultra-hardline jihadist groups such as Al Qaeda and Islamic State. Earlier yesterday, bin Laden's successor as al Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, announced that he was giving the Nusra Front his blessing to break away. In his message, Golani thanked Zawahri for putting the interests of the Syrian people ahead of organisational interests. The move appeared to be an attempt to appeal to Syrians who have long had deep misgivings about Nusra's links with al Qaeda and the significant presence of foreign jihadists among its ranks, which set it apart from Western-backed rebel groups. It could alter the strategic alignment on the ground in Syria if the renamed Nusra gains acceptance among other rebel groups fighting against President Bashar al-Assad. But Assad and his Russian allies are unlikely to accept the rebranding as requiring them to halt military operations that have put the Syrian leader in the strongest position on the battlefield for years. The Nusra Front, long one of the most powerful rebel forces in Syria's five-year, multi-sided civil war, was excluded along with Islamic State from a US and Russian-backed ceasefire this year, a loophole other rebels blamed for the truce's collapse. Nusra is listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and United Nations. Assad's other opponents have long said its presence gave the government and its Russian allies a pretext to abandon the truce and launch advances under the cover of anti-terrorist operations permitted under the ceasefire. Aleppo siege tightens The Nusra announcement came as Syria's government and its Russian allies launched what they called a "humanitarian operation" in the rebel-held sector of Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the war, which government forces have held under effective siege since early July. Although Moscow and Damascus described their new plans for rebel-held Aleppo as an operation to aid people trapped there, Western countries are worried that the real aim is to depopulate the area ahead of an offensive to storm it. Aleppo has been divided into rebel and government zones for years. Asserting full control would be the biggest victory for Assad's government so far, and a potential turning point in a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands, spawned the world's worst refugee crisis and drawn in most regional and world powers. Rebel-held parts of Aleppo have been bombarded since Wednesday with air-dropped leaflets telling civilians they would be given safe passage out and providing maps to exit routes designated as safe corridors. Yesterday Assad ordered rebel fighters in the city to surrender within three months. Around 250,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in the rebel zone of Aleppo. The United Nations says food supplies will run out within weeks. Assad said rebels who surrender within three months would be given an amnesty. State television quoted the governor of Aleppo as saying three humanitarian corridors would be established so residents could safely leave. Russia said a fourth corridor would be set up in the north of the city for surrendering rebels, near the Castello Road, the main land route into the rebel sector, most of which the army seized to complete its encirclement. Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said: "On behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, today, (we will) start a large-scale humanitarian operation together with the Syrian government to help civilians in Aleppo." The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said helicopters over rebel-held areas dropped baby diapers and meal packs that had Russian-language labels. "If it is a genuine humanitarian proposal then clearly it will be accompanied by an end to the bombing campaign and by Russian support for other aspects of this comprehensive approach to the humanitarian situation in Aleppo,” British ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft told reporters in New York. “Clearly the UN and the rest of us cannot be complicit in anything else, for instance an form of emptying of Aleppo or preparing for an onslaught of Aleppo or indeed any continuation of this medieval siege of Aleppo which is going on." The proposed safe corridors did not appear to be open so far. Two rebels and aid workers contacted in besieged Aleppo said the army fired at civilians in one of the safe corridors, in the Salah al Din district. A doctor for a medical charity that operates in Aleppo also said the army had fired artillery at families gathering near another humanitarian corridor, in the opposition-held Bustan al Qasr neighbourhood. Hael Asi Hilal, head of the Syrian Red Crescent in rebel-held areas, said no family so far had been able to leave via any corridor due to snipers firing at them. The army, backed by allied militia forces and air support from Syrian and Russian jets, has meanwhile taken more ground on the northern edge of the city. State television said the army had advanced in the Bani Zeid district, on the southern side of the Castello road. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-government forces had taken full control of the district. A rebel source confirmed that the army had made advances. He said Kurdish forces from the nearby Sheikh Maqsoud district had also taken advantage of the fighting to advance into a housing complex in Bani Zeid. "There has been a (rebel) withdrawal, but no one has surrendered," Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim group told Reuters. The United States and Russia are both leading separate military campaigns against Islamic State in Syria but are otherwise supporting opposite sides in the wider civil war, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington saying he must leave power. The Cold War-era superpowers jointly sponsored the ceasefire earlier this year that led to UN brokered peace talks. But that collapsed in May and since then government forces have been advancing with Russian support. US Secretary of State John Kerry has been holding talks with Russians with the aim of building a system of military cooperation that would allow them to jointly identify legitimate targets not covered by the truce. But so far the negotiations have yet to bear fruit. A Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Washington's stance would allow militants to regroup since it would call for a ceasefire before distinguishing between terrorists and other opposition groups. "There is an element here of a political ruse at least," Sergei Ryabkov said. One US national security official said it was difficult to negotiate with the Russians as long as the wider objectives of Moscow and Washington diverge. “The Russians want to destroy ISIS to save Assad,” the official said. “We want to destroy ISIS to eliminate a terrorist threat and start a political process to remove Assad, whom President (Barack) Obama has said must go.” (Reuters)

Nusra Front renames itself Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, ends link to al Qaeda

Al-Qaeda&#39;s Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front has executed 14 captured men it accused of fighting for President Bashar al-Assad, in retaliation for a regime advance near Damascus. 
 
A video distributed via the group&#39;s social media accounts showed 14 men, many with injuries including black eyes, stating their names as they lined up in pairs in front of the group&#39;s black flag. 
 
&quot;Implementation of the death sentence against a group of... regime prisoners because of their attack on Harira village in Wadi Barada,&quot; text on the video read. 
 
The footage showed the men being shot in the head simultaneously as they knelt in front of Al-Nusra fighters.&nbsp;Wadi Barada is an area in the Qalamun region of Syria&#39;s Damascus province and is mostly controlled by an array of opposition groups, including Al-Nusra. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said that Al-Nusra had threatened to execute prisoners if government forces entered Harira.&nbsp;The threats came in an earlier video in which one of the captured men warned that the group would kill 14 captives if the government attacked. 
 
Al-Nusra is the local affiliate of Al-Qaeda and has regularly carried out executions of government forces. 
 
In September 2015, it executed at least 56 regime fighters at a military airport in Idlib province in the northwest of the country.&nbsp;More than 280,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011. 
 
(AFP0

A video distributed via the group's social media accounts showed 14 men, many with injuries including black eyes, stating their names

Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front has executed 14 captured men it accused of fighting for President Bashar al-Assad, in retaliation for a regime advance near Damascus. A video distributed via the group's social media accounts showed 14 men, many with injuries including black eyes, stating their names as they lined up in pairs in front of the group's black flag. "Implementation of the death sentence against a group of... regime prisoners because of their attack on Harira village in Wadi Barada," text on the video read. The footage showed the men being shot in the head simultaneously as they knelt in front of Al-Nusra fighters. Wadi Barada is an area in the Qalamun region of Syria's Damascus province and is mostly controlled by an array of opposition groups, including Al-Nusra. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said that Al-Nusra had threatened to execute prisoners if government forces entered Harira. The threats came in an earlier video in which one of the captured men warned that the group would kill 14 captives if the government attacked. Al-Nusra is the local affiliate of Al-Qaeda and has regularly carried out executions of government forces. In September 2015, it executed at least 56 regime fighters at a military airport in Idlib province in the northwest of the country. More than 280,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011. (AFP0

Al-Qaeda executes 14 pro-Assad fighters