Russian President Vladimir Putin called Syria&#39;s Bashar al-Assad Friday to congratulate him on completing the &quot;liberation&quot; of Aleppo, the Kremlin said.

&quot;Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and congratulated him with the end of the operation of liberation of Aleppo from fighters,&quot; it said in a statement.

&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.

Putin last called Assad in March, according to the Kremlin.

The statement added that Putin &quot;underlined that the main task remains to focus efforts on issues pertaining to the... resolution of the Syrian crisis&quot;.

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 strongman said at his annual press conference Friday that Russia wanted ceasefire talks to take place in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana, as the location had already been approved by Assad as well as the leaders of the other power brokers in the Syrian conflict -- Iran and Turkey.

(AFP)

Russia and the Syrian regime were successful in defeating US-backed rebels from east Aleppo

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Syria's Bashar al-Assad Friday to congratulate him on completing the "liberation" of Aleppo, the Kremlin said. "Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and congratulated him with the end of the operation of liberation of Aleppo from fighters," it said in a statement. "This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria," it said. Putin last called Assad in March, according to the Kremlin. The statement added that Putin "underlined that the main task remains to focus efforts on issues pertaining to the... resolution of the Syrian crisis". 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 strongman said at his annual press conference Friday that Russia wanted ceasefire talks to take place in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, as the location had already been approved by Assad as well as the leaders of the other power brokers in the Syrian conflict -- Iran and Turkey. (AFP)

Putin calls Syria's Assad to congratulate on Aleppo success

Syrian rebels announced a new evacuation deal for Aleppo civilians and the injured on Wednesday, after shelling and air strikes sent terrified residents running through the city&#39;s streets.

However a source close to Syria&#39;s government denied the development, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said hostilities were ongoing after an earlier agreement collapsed.

Under the initial plan, thousands of civilians and rebel fighters were due early Wednesday to evacuate the east of Syria&#39;s second city, scene of some of the worst violence in more than five years of war across the country.

But cold and hungry civilians who had gathered before dawn to leave were instead plunged back into a familiar nightmare.

&quot;Bombing is ongoing, no one can move. Everyone is hiding and terrified,&quot; activist Mohammad al-Khatib told AFP from inside east Aleppo.

&quot;The wounded and dead are lying in the street. No one dares to try and retrieve the bodies.&quot;

Officials from the Nureddin al-Zinki and the hardline Ahrar al-Sham rebel groups confirmed to AFP that a new truce deal had come into effect after hours of violence Wednesday.

&quot;A ceasefire has come into effect in Aleppo after negotiations between the Russians and the Turkish Red Crescent,&quot; said Yasser al-Youssef, a Nureddin al-Zinki political official.

&quot;The first group of civilians and wounded people will leave at dawn on Thursday,&quot; Youssef told AFP.

He said an agreement on rebels had also been reached but news of the deal was denied by a source close to Syria&#39;s government.

&quot;There is no agreement, the negotiations are ongoing,&quot; the source said.

Telephone diplomacy

As air strikes and artillery fire shook the city earlier Wednesday, AFP&#39;s correspondent in rebel areas of Aleppo saw panicked civilians running for cover.

The Britain-based Observatory reported &quot;very intense clashes on every front line&quot; and said at least two people had been killed in rebel areas.

State television said rebel rocket fire on government-controlled areas had killed at least seven people.

Former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front said Wednesday that one of its suicide bombers detonated a car bomb at a regime position in southern Aleppo.

A source with knowledge of efforts to resuscitate the ceasefire deal earlier said Syria, opposition backer Turkey, and regime allies Russia and Iran were locked in talks.

Moscow has blamed rebels for violating the ceasefire, saying it now expected opposition resistance in Aleppo to end in the next &quot;two to three days&quot;.

A source close to the government said Damascus objected to the number of people leaving, claiming rebels had sought to raise it from 2,000 to 10,000.

But Youssef from the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel group said the regime and Iran sought to link the Aleppo deal to the fate of Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority villages in northwest Syria under rebel siege.

It was unclear whether the new agreement included a condition that wounded people would also be evacuated from there.

The rebels and Ankara have accused President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime and its supporters of blocking the evacuation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call that ceasefire violations must end.

&quot;They stressed that the ceasefire agreement... should be put into practice (and) the violations of the deal must be stopped,&quot; Turkish presidential sources said.

Moscow meet

Turkey said it would meet with Russia and Iran in Moscow on December 27 to discuss a political solution to the conflict in Syria.

&quot;We are striving to secure a ceasefire throughout the country and for negotiations for a political solution to start,&quot; said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday also spoke again with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, as well as with Cavusoglu and Qatar&#39;s Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

Syria&#39;s army has pressed a month-long assault that has seen it take more than 90 percent of the former rebel stronghold in east Aleppo.

Turkey has said those leaving would be taken to Idlib province, which is controlled by a powerful rebel alliance that includes the Fateh al-Sham Front.

The agreement came amid international concern about the plight of civilians in the city, and as the UN said it had reports of atrocities being committed by advancing government forces.

In Istanbul, more than a thousand people protested outside the Iranian consulate to denounce the actions of regime allies Tehran and Moscow and demand the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo.&nbsp;

In Kuwait around 2,000 demonstrated in front of the Russian embassy while in Paris several hundred people gathered in support of the victims of Aleppo.

Eiffel Tower goes dark&nbsp;

The lights on the Eiffel Tower were also switched off in what Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was a protest at the &quot;unbearable&quot; situation for civilians in Aleppo.

The UN said Tuesday it had credible reports of at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children, being executed in recent days.

And the UN&#39;s Commission of Inquiry for Syria said it had received reports opposition fighters were blocking civilians from fleeing Aleppo and using them as human shields.&nbsp;

Aleppo, a cultural and economic hub second only to Damascus in importance, had been split between a rebel-controlled east and government-held west since 2012.

It was unclear how many civilians remained in rebel territory, after an estimated 130,000 fled to other parts of Aleppo during the government advance since mid-November.

More than 465 civilians, including 62 children, have died in east Aleppo during the assault, the Observatory said Wednesday in a new toll.

Another 142 civilians, among them 42 children, have been killed by rebel rocket fire on government-held zones in the same period, the monitor said.

Syria&#39;s conflict has evolved from anti-Assad protests into a multi-front war that has killed more than 312,000 and drawn in world powers on all sides of the war.

(AFP)

But a source close to the Syrian government denied the development and a rights monitor said hostilities were ongoing

Syrian rebels announced a new evacuation deal for Aleppo civilians and the injured on Wednesday, after shelling and air strikes sent terrified residents running through the city's streets. However a source close to Syria's government denied the development, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said hostilities were ongoing after an earlier agreement collapsed. Under the initial plan, thousands of civilians and rebel fighters were due early Wednesday to evacuate the east of Syria's second city, scene of some of the worst violence in more than five years of war across the country. But cold and hungry civilians who had gathered before dawn to leave were instead plunged back into a familiar nightmare. "Bombing is ongoing, no one can move. Everyone is hiding and terrified," activist Mohammad al-Khatib told AFP from inside east Aleppo. "The wounded and dead are lying in the street. No one dares to try and retrieve the bodies." Officials from the Nureddin al-Zinki and the hardline Ahrar al-Sham rebel groups confirmed to AFP that a new truce deal had come into effect after hours of violence Wednesday. "A ceasefire has come into effect in Aleppo after negotiations between the Russians and the Turkish Red Crescent," said Yasser al-Youssef, a Nureddin al-Zinki political official. "The first group of civilians and wounded people will leave at dawn on Thursday," Youssef told AFP. He said an agreement on rebels had also been reached but news of the deal was denied by a source close to Syria's government. "There is no agreement, the negotiations are ongoing," the source said. Telephone diplomacy As air strikes and artillery fire shook the city earlier Wednesday, AFP's correspondent in rebel areas of Aleppo saw panicked civilians running for cover. The Britain-based Observatory reported "very intense clashes on every front line" and said at least two people had been killed in rebel areas. State television said rebel rocket fire on government-controlled areas had killed at least seven people. Former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front said Wednesday that one of its suicide bombers detonated a car bomb at a regime position in southern Aleppo. A source with knowledge of efforts to resuscitate the ceasefire deal earlier said Syria, opposition backer Turkey, and regime allies Russia and Iran were locked in talks. Moscow has blamed rebels for violating the ceasefire, saying it now expected opposition resistance in Aleppo to end in the next "two to three days". A source close to the government said Damascus objected to the number of people leaving, claiming rebels had sought to raise it from 2,000 to 10,000. But Youssef from the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel group said the regime and Iran sought to link the Aleppo deal to the fate of Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority villages in northwest Syria under rebel siege. It was unclear whether the new agreement included a condition that wounded people would also be evacuated from there. The rebels and Ankara have accused President Bashar al-Assad's regime and its supporters of blocking the evacuation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call that ceasefire violations must end. "They stressed that the ceasefire agreement... should be put into practice (and) the violations of the deal must be stopped," Turkish presidential sources said. Moscow meet Turkey said it would meet with Russia and Iran in Moscow on December 27 to discuss a political solution to the conflict in Syria. "We are striving to secure a ceasefire throughout the country and for negotiations for a political solution to start," said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday also spoke again with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, as well as with Cavusoglu and Qatar's Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. Syria's army has pressed a month-long assault that has seen it take more than 90 percent of the former rebel stronghold in east Aleppo. Turkey has said those leaving would be taken to Idlib province, which is controlled by a powerful rebel alliance that includes the Fateh al-Sham Front. The agreement came amid international concern about the plight of civilians in the city, and as the UN said it had reports of atrocities being committed by advancing government forces. In Istanbul, more than a thousand people protested outside the Iranian consulate to denounce the actions of regime allies Tehran and Moscow and demand the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo. In Kuwait around 2,000 demonstrated in front of the Russian embassy while in Paris several hundred people gathered in support of the victims of Aleppo. Eiffel Tower goes dark The lights on the Eiffel Tower were also switched off in what Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was a protest at the "unbearable" situation for civilians in Aleppo. The UN said Tuesday it had credible reports of at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children, being executed in recent days. And the UN's Commission of Inquiry for Syria said it had received reports opposition fighters were blocking civilians from fleeing Aleppo and using them as human shields. Aleppo, a cultural and economic hub second only to Damascus in importance, had been split between a rebel-controlled east and government-held west since 2012. It was unclear how many civilians remained in rebel territory, after an estimated 130,000 fled to other parts of Aleppo during the government advance since mid-November. More than 465 civilians, including 62 children, have died in east Aleppo during the assault, the Observatory said Wednesday in a new toll. Another 142 civilians, among them 42 children, have been killed by rebel rocket fire on government-held zones in the same period, the monitor said. Syria's conflict has evolved from anti-Assad protests into a multi-front war that has killed more than 312,000 and drawn in world powers on all sides of the war. (AFP)

Syria rebels announce new evacuation deal for Aleppo

Syrian rebels shelled government-controlled parts of Aleppo on Thursday in an attempt to break a siege of the eastern part of the city hours before the Russian-declared ceasefire was due to begin.

At least people were killed in rebel rocket and gunfire on regime-controlled neighbourhoods, state media said, news agency AFP reported.

Rebels have been unable to break a three-month siege through government lines in western Aleppo.

&quot;We have started the second phase in our fight to break the siege with heavy artillery fire&quot; on several neighbourhoods, rebel fighter Abu Hamza told AFP on the edges of Aleppo.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the &quot;most intense fighting&quot; was on the edges of Halab al-Jadida neighbourhood.

The United Nations on October 25 had blamed all sides in Syria after renewed fighting and air strikes in the Syrian city of Aleppo prevented the medical evacuations and aid deliveries from reaching the war-ravaged city.&nbsp;

UN aid agencies had held days of negotiations to try to secure safe passage for the sick and wounded, but the effort came to a halt when fighting resumed after three days of truce.&nbsp;

Rebel fire killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 200, SANA news agency said. The Observatory said 15 had been killed, four of them children. A total of 69 civilians have been killed in rebel fire since Friday.

Russia on Wednesday told Syrian rebels in Aleppo to leave by Friday evening, indicating a moratorium on air strikes in the war-battered city.

The Russian defence ministry said that rebels would be allowed to exit the city unharmed and with their weapons on November 4 between 0900 and 1900 local time through two special corridors.

Rebels have,however, rejected the calls and denied there were corridors, a member of an Aleppo-based insurgent group told Reuters.

&quot;This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won&#39;t surrender,&quot; Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters.

No UN aid convoy has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned last month.

Once Syria&#39;s economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been divided since mid-2012 between government control in the west and rebels in the east, AFP said.

More than 300,000 have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-front war involving regime, rebels, Kurds and jihadists like IS.

(With inputs from agencies)

Rebels have been battling for nearly a week in a desperate bid to break the three-month siege

Syrian rebels shelled government-controlled parts of Aleppo on Thursday in an attempt to break a siege of the eastern part of the city hours before the Russian-declared ceasefire was due to begin. At least people were killed in rebel rocket and gunfire on regime-controlled neighbourhoods, state media said, news agency AFP reported. Rebels have been unable to break a three-month siege through government lines in western Aleppo. "We have started the second phase in our fight to break the siege with heavy artillery fire" on several neighbourhoods, rebel fighter Abu Hamza told AFP on the edges of Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the "most intense fighting" was on the edges of Halab al-Jadida neighbourhood. The United Nations on October 25 had blamed all sides in Syria after renewed fighting and air strikes in the Syrian city of Aleppo prevented the medical evacuations and aid deliveries from reaching the war-ravaged city. UN aid agencies had held days of negotiations to try to secure safe passage for the sick and wounded, but the effort came to a halt when fighting resumed after three days of truce. Rebel fire killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 200, SANA news agency said. The Observatory said 15 had been killed, four of them children. A total of 69 civilians have been killed in rebel fire since Friday. Russia on Wednesday told Syrian rebels in Aleppo to leave by Friday evening, indicating a moratorium on air strikes in the war-battered city. The Russian defence ministry said that rebels would be allowed to exit the city unharmed and with their weapons on November 4 between 0900 and 1900 local time through two special corridors. Rebels have,however, rejected the calls and denied there were corridors, a member of an Aleppo-based insurgent group told Reuters. "This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won't surrender," Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters. No UN aid convoy has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned last month. Once Syria's economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been divided since mid-2012 between government control in the west and rebels in the east, AFP said. More than 300,000 have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-front war involving regime, rebels, Kurds and jihadists like IS. (With inputs from agencies)

Syria rebels renew Aleppo attack before Russia ceasefire

Russia on Wednesday told Syrian rebels in Aleppo to leave by Friday evening, indicating a moratorium on air strikes in the war-battered city.

 
The Russian defence ministry said that rebels would be allowed to exit the city unharmed and with their weapons on November 4 between 0900 and 1900 local time through two special corridors.

 
The ministry, which is helping forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, also said civilians and the wounded would be allowed to leave through six different corridors.&nbsp;

 
The Syrian army followed by releasing a similar statement later on Wednesday calling on rebels to hold fire and &ldquo;use this opportunity&rdquo; to leave the city with their &ldquo;small arms&rdquo;, AFP reported.&nbsp;

 
Rebels have,however, rejected the calls and denied there were corridors, a member of an Aleppo-based insurgent group told Reuters.

 
&quot;This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won&#39;t surrender,&quot; Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters.

 
The Russian Defence Ministry added &nbsp;that rebels inside Aleppo had taken heavy losses during the&nbsp;fighting and were effectively trapped.

 
&quot;All attempts by the rebels to break through in Aleppo have failed,&quot; the ministry said. &quot;The terrorists have suffered heavy losses in lives, weapons and equipment. They have no chance to break out of the city,&quot;&nbsp;news agencies reported.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Russia says rebels will be allowed to leave unharmed and with their weapons

Russia on Wednesday told Syrian rebels in Aleppo to leave by Friday evening, indicating a moratorium on air strikes in the war-battered city. The Russian defence ministry said that rebels would be allowed to exit the city unharmed and with their weapons on November 4 between 0900 and 1900 local time through two special corridors. The ministry, which is helping forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, also said civilians and the wounded would be allowed to leave through six different corridors. The Syrian army followed by releasing a similar statement later on Wednesday calling on rebels to hold fire and “use this opportunity” to leave the city with their “small arms”, AFP reported. Rebels have,however, rejected the calls and denied there were corridors, a member of an Aleppo-based insurgent group told Reuters. "This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won't surrender," Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters. The Russian Defence Ministry added that rebels inside Aleppo had taken heavy losses during the fighting and were effectively trapped. "All attempts by the rebels to break through in Aleppo have failed," the ministry said. "The terrorists have suffered heavy losses in lives, weapons and equipment. They have no chance to break out of the city," news agencies reported. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Syria: Russia tells rebels to leave Aleppo by Friday, rebels say no

Rebel shelling into government-held parts of Syria&#39;s second city, Aleppo, killed at least 38 civilians today, a war monitor said, as Syrian government forces continued their offensive to completely encircle rebel-held parts of the city.

Those killed included 14 children and 13 women, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights conflict monitor said. 
 
Syrian government and allied forces advanced this week towards the only route into the opposition half of the city, the Castello Road. 
 
The Syrian military said it extended a 72-hour nationwide ceasefire that expired on Friday, July 8,&nbsp;for another 72 hours, state media reported today.

The military high command said in a statement reported by state media that &quot;a regime of calm will be extended for a period of 72 hours from one o&#39;clock on July 9.&quot;

Syrian forces are now 500-1000 metres away from the road, sources say, bringing the road within firing range and trapping between 250,000 and 300,000 people in opposition-held parts of Aleppo.

Aleppo, Syria&#39;s largest city before the war when it had more than 2 million people, has been divided for years into rebel and government sectors. Controlling all of it has been one of President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s biggest goals.

Heavy aerial and artillery bombardment had at times made the Castello Road impassable. But this week&#39;s advance brings government forces the closest so far to the road, making it even easier to hit.

The Observatory said air strikes and heavy shelling also hit rebel-held parts of Aleppo, killing at least five people.

Syrian state media put today&#39;s death toll from rebel-fire in Aleppo at about 40, with more than 300 injured. 
 
(Reuters)

Syrian military has extended the 72-hour nationwide ceasefire that expired on July 8

Rebel shelling into government-held parts of Syria's second city, Aleppo, killed at least 38 civilians today, a war monitor said, as Syrian government forces continued their offensive to completely encircle rebel-held parts of the city. Those killed included 14 children and 13 women, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights conflict monitor said. Syrian government and allied forces advanced this week towards the only route into the opposition half of the city, the Castello Road. The Syrian military said it extended a 72-hour nationwide ceasefire that expired on Friday, July 8, for another 72 hours, state media reported today. The military high command said in a statement reported by state media that "a regime of calm will be extended for a period of 72 hours from one o'clock on July 9." Syrian forces are now 500-1000 metres away from the road, sources say, bringing the road within firing range and trapping between 250,000 and 300,000 people in opposition-held parts of Aleppo. Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the war when it had more than 2 million people, has been divided for years into rebel and government sectors. Controlling all of it has been one of President Bashar al-Assad's biggest goals. Heavy aerial and artillery bombardment had at times made the Castello Road impassable. But this week's advance brings government forces the closest so far to the road, making it even easier to hit. The Observatory said air strikes and heavy shelling also hit rebel-held parts of Aleppo, killing at least five people. Syrian state media put today's death toll from rebel-fire in Aleppo at about 40, with more than 300 injured. (Reuters)

38 civilians killed in rebel fire on government-held part of Syria's Aleppo

Insurgents seized a strategic town from Syrian government forces and their allies in the western coastal province of Latakia today, a monitoring group and the rebels said, in a rare advance for them in the area.

The Syrian government forces had captured Kansaba in February, part of a wider advance in Latakia&#39;s northern countryside at the time, backed by Russian air power.

Fighting picked up again in the area after a ceasefire deal later that month brought a temporary lull. The truce has mostly unravelled throughout areas where it took effect in the west of the country.

The al-Qaeda&nbsp;affiliated Nusra Front was among the groups that retook Kansaba, which had previously been an important base for the insurgents. The town overlooks much of the mountainous Jabal Akrad area close to the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The British-based monitoring group said it was part of a wider offensive launched earlier in the week.

Nusra Front said in an online statement that an alliance of Islamist rebel groups including itself had captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and artillery guns.

It was a rare gain for rebels in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of President Bashar al-Assad last September.

Northern Latakia borders Idlib province, a stronghold for insurgent groups including Nusra Front.

Further to the northeast, in Aleppo province, Nusra Front and other Islamist insurgents have recently launched heavy attacks against government forces and their allies, including Iranian troops and Lebanese Shi&#39;ite Hezbollah fighters.

Latakia&#39;s coastal areas, including the provincial capital city of the same name, are the heartland of Assad&#39;s minority Alawite community and are also home to a Russian air base.

Rebels have in the past sought to bring the fight closer to the coast. They were regularly shelling Latakia city before the Russian intervention. 
 
(Reuters)

It was a rare gain for rebels in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of President Bashar al-Assad

Insurgents seized a strategic town from Syrian government forces and their allies in the western coastal province of Latakia today, a monitoring group and the rebels said, in a rare advance for them in the area. The Syrian government forces had captured Kansaba in February, part of a wider advance in Latakia's northern countryside at the time, backed by Russian air power. Fighting picked up again in the area after a ceasefire deal later that month brought a temporary lull. The truce has mostly unravelled throughout areas where it took effect in the west of the country. The al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front was among the groups that retook Kansaba, which had previously been an important base for the insurgents. The town overlooks much of the mountainous Jabal Akrad area close to the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The British-based monitoring group said it was part of a wider offensive launched earlier in the week. Nusra Front said in an online statement that an alliance of Islamist rebel groups including itself had captured Kansaba and a number of other villages, seizing several tanks and artillery guns. It was a rare gain for rebels in Latakia since Russia intervened in the five-year Syrian conflict on the side of President Bashar al-Assad last September. Northern Latakia borders Idlib province, a stronghold for insurgent groups including Nusra Front. Further to the northeast, in Aleppo province, Nusra Front and other Islamist insurgents have recently launched heavy attacks against government forces and their allies, including Iranian troops and Lebanese Shi'ite Hezbollah fighters. Latakia's coastal areas, including the provincial capital city of the same name, are the heartland of Assad's minority Alawite community and are also home to a Russian air base. Rebels have in the past sought to bring the fight closer to the coast. They were regularly shelling Latakia city before the Russian intervention. (Reuters)

Alliance of Islamist rebels retake key town from Assad's forces

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