Syrian regime forces took control of six rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo over the weekend as they advanced their offensive to recapture Syria&#39;s second city.

Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo.

Syrian forces also took control of Jabal Badra and Baadeeen and took three other districts on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The monitor said that Inzarat, Al-Sakan al-Shaabi and Ain al-Tall have been taken over by government forces and the army has made large forays into Sakhur and nearby Haidariya.

It said government forces are &quot;in control of most of the northern part&quot; of Aleppo. The Observatory also reported that more than 4,000 civilians had fled east Aleppo overnight Saturday

&quot;The rebels have lost at least 30 per cent of the territory they once controlled in Aleppo,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said, news agency AFP reported. &quot;It is the first exodus of this kind from east Aleppo since 2012.&quot;

Masaken Hanano was the first district to be taken by the rebels in 2012.

The regime has focussed its attention on the Sakhur as they pound rebel positions in the district.

Civilinas were taken &quot;by the army to safe areas&quot;, official media said, AFP reported.

Syrian state television broadcast images of a crowd gathered around green buses that it said had come to pick them up in Masaken Hanano, AFP said.

&quot;We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area,&quot; Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said of a regime campaign of air strikes, AFP reported.

The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling.

Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The regime bombardment has killed 225 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15.

More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

(With inputs from AFP)

Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo

Syrian regime forces took control of six rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo over the weekend as they advanced their offensive to recapture Syria's second city. Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo. Syrian forces also took control of Jabal Badra and Baadeeen and took three other districts on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitor said that Inzarat, Al-Sakan al-Shaabi and Ain al-Tall have been taken over by government forces and the army has made large forays into Sakhur and nearby Haidariya. It said government forces are "in control of most of the northern part" of Aleppo. The Observatory also reported that more than 4,000 civilians had fled east Aleppo overnight Saturday "The rebels have lost at least 30 per cent of the territory they once controlled in Aleppo," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said, news agency AFP reported. "It is the first exodus of this kind from east Aleppo since 2012." Masaken Hanano was the first district to be taken by the rebels in 2012. The regime has focussed its attention on the Sakhur as they pound rebel positions in the district. Civilinas were taken "by the army to safe areas", official media said, AFP reported. Syrian state television broadcast images of a crowd gathered around green buses that it said had come to pick them up in Masaken Hanano, AFP said. "We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area," Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said of a regime campaign of air strikes, AFP reported. The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling. Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The regime bombardment has killed 225 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies. (With inputs from AFP)

Syria forces retake 6 Aleppo rebel areas, civilians flee

Syrian state media reported on Saturday that the Syrian government forces have recaptured the largest rebel district in the east of battlefield city Aleppo.

State television said &quot;the armed forces retook full control&quot; of Masaken Hanano district. Operations were under way to clear it of mines and bombs, official news agency SANA said, AFP reported.

&quot;The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there,&quot; the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, reported AFP.

The area around the district was also recaptured and &quot;army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares&quot;, SANA reported.

The capture of Masaken Hanano in the northeast of Aleppo could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city&#39;s rebel-held east, AFP said.

The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling.

The offensive to retake Aleppo, Syria&#39;s second city, is in its 12th day. The city was the economic capital before the war broke out in March 2011.

The regime bombardment has killed 212 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15, a monitoring group said.

Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

&quot;I&#39;m terrified by the army&#39;s advance and the increasing bombardment,&quot; Abu Raed, a father-of-four from the Fardos neighbourhood, told AFP. &quot;There&#39;s no safe place for me and my family.&quot;

Observatory head rami Abdel Rahman told AFP on Saturday that the government forces were in control of 80 per cent of Masaken Hanano and had the rest in their line of fire.

&quot;They just hundreds of metres (yards) away from isolating the northern districts of east Aleppo from the southern ones,&quot; he said.

More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies, AFP said.

(With inputs from AFP)

The capture of Masaken Hanano district could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city's rebel-held east

Syrian state media reported on Saturday that the Syrian government forces have recaptured the largest rebel district in the east of battlefield city Aleppo. State television said "the armed forces retook full control" of Masaken Hanano district. Operations were under way to clear it of mines and bombs, official news agency SANA said, AFP reported. "The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, reported AFP. The area around the district was also recaptured and "army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares", SANA reported. The capture of Masaken Hanano in the northeast of Aleppo could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city's rebel-held east, AFP said. The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling. The offensive to retake Aleppo, Syria's second city, is in its 12th day. The city was the economic capital before the war broke out in March 2011. The regime bombardment has killed 212 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15, a monitoring group said. Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "I'm terrified by the army's advance and the increasing bombardment," Abu Raed, a father-of-four from the Fardos neighbourhood, told AFP. "There's no safe place for me and my family." Observatory head rami Abdel Rahman told AFP on Saturday that the government forces were in control of 80 per cent of Masaken Hanano and had the rest in their line of fire. "They just hundreds of metres (yards) away from isolating the northern districts of east Aleppo from the southern ones," he said. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies, AFP said. (With inputs from AFP)

Largest Aleppo rebel area retaken: Syrian state media

The Russian defence ministry said on Saturday it would need the UN&nbsp;mission in Syria to formally confirm its ability to deliver aid to eastern Aleppo before Moscow agreed to any new humanitarian pauses in fighting in the shattered Syrian city.

Moscow says previous temporary ceasefires on the ground, called to allow aid deliveries and the evacuation of the wounded and civilians, have come to nothing because rebels have opened fire on anyone trying to come in or out.

Rebels contest that and say it is the Syrian army and its allies who have sabotaged the humanitarian pauses.

&quot;The Russian Defence Ministry will be ready to consider introducing new &#39;humanitarian pauses&#39; at any time as soon as representatives of the UN&nbsp;mission in Syria officially confirm their readiness and possibility to deliver humanitarian aid to eastern Aleppo and to evacuate wounded and sick civilians,&quot; Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

The occasional humanitarian pauses on the ground are distinct from a unilateral moratorium on Russian air strikes on rebel targets inside Aleppo, which remains in place for now.

(Reuters)

Moscow says previous temporary ceasefires on the ground have failed because rebels opened fire on anyone trying to come in or out

The Russian defence ministry said on Saturday it would need the UN mission in Syria to formally confirm its ability to deliver aid to eastern Aleppo before Moscow agreed to any new humanitarian pauses in fighting in the shattered Syrian city. Moscow says previous temporary ceasefires on the ground, called to allow aid deliveries and the evacuation of the wounded and civilians, have come to nothing because rebels have opened fire on anyone trying to come in or out. Rebels contest that and say it is the Syrian army and its allies who have sabotaged the humanitarian pauses. "The Russian Defence Ministry will be ready to consider introducing new 'humanitarian pauses' at any time as soon as representatives of the UN mission in Syria officially confirm their readiness and possibility to deliver humanitarian aid to eastern Aleppo and to evacuate wounded and sick civilians," Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. The occasional humanitarian pauses on the ground are distinct from a unilateral moratorium on Russian air strikes on rebel targets inside Aleppo, which remains in place for now. (Reuters)

Aleppo ceasefire: Russia asks UN for aid guarantee before new pauses

The Syrian army said it had taken a strategic district of Aleppo on Tuesday in what would mark the most important advance in the divided city by Damascus and its allies in weeks, but rebels said the battle was not over.

The 1070 Apartments district is located on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo and lies alongside the government&#39;s corridor into the parts of the city that it controls.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that reports on the war, said government forces and their allies had seized full control of 1070 Apartments, calling it the most significant gain by the government in Aleppo since September.

A Syrian military source said the army and allied forces were in complete control of the area and surrounding hills. They have made repeated efforts to oust rebels from the 1070 Apartments area since the summer.

A military media unit run by the Damascus-allied Hezbollah carried a similar report. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shi&#39;ite Muslim group, is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria&#39;s war, now well in its sixth year.

But officials in two rebel groups fighting in Aleppo - Syria&#39;s largest city and commercial hub before the war - said insurgent forces were still trying to fight back.

&quot;The clashes around 1070 Apartments are still going on,&quot; Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Fastaqim rebel group, said, while confirming that the army had taken the district.

Yasser Alyousef from the political office of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group said rebels had recovered positions they had lost on Monday.

Syrian government forces backed by allied militias and Russian air power launched a major assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo in September after besieging the area, which the United Nations says is home to 275,000 people.

On Oct. 29, rebels counter-attacked in a bid to break the siege, targeting government-held western districts of Aleppo in an offensive that included Islamist militants and rebels fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner.

But their progress slowed after early gains.

There were conflicting accounts of fighting on Tuesday in the village of Minian, also on the western edge of Aleppo.

Syrian state media said the army had advanced in Minian, which was taken by rebels at the start of their campaign.

The Observatory said the army and its allies had fully recaptured Minian, after heavy air strikes. The fall of Minian to the government would reverse some of the gains rebels have made during their offensive.

But Malahifji, of the Fastaqim rebel group, denied that there were any clashes inside the village. &quot;Minian is still with the rebels,&quot; he said.

Russia says its air force has been observing a moratorium on air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo since Oct. 18. The Observatory and emergency workers in eastern Aleppo said heavy air strikes had killed hundreds of people, and hit hospitals and other civilian facilities prior to that.

Russia is preparing to resume air strikes around Aleppo &quot;in coming hours&quot;, the Interfax news agency quoted a source in the Russian Defence Ministry as saying on Tuesday.

Rebel shelling of government-held western Aleppo has meanwhile killed dozens of people, the United Nations said last week in an update on the humanitarian situation in the city.

(Reuters)

The government forces and their allies have reportedly seized 1070 Apartments, the most significant gain since last September

The Syrian army said it had taken a strategic district of Aleppo on Tuesday in what would mark the most important advance in the divided city by Damascus and its allies in weeks, but rebels said the battle was not over. The 1070 Apartments district is located on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo and lies alongside the government's corridor into the parts of the city that it controls. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that reports on the war, said government forces and their allies had seized full control of 1070 Apartments, calling it the most significant gain by the government in Aleppo since September. A Syrian military source said the army and allied forces were in complete control of the area and surrounding hills. They have made repeated efforts to oust rebels from the 1070 Apartments area since the summer. A military media unit run by the Damascus-allied Hezbollah carried a similar report. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim group, is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's war, now well in its sixth year. But officials in two rebel groups fighting in Aleppo - Syria's largest city and commercial hub before the war - said insurgent forces were still trying to fight back. "The clashes around 1070 Apartments are still going on," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Fastaqim rebel group, said, while confirming that the army had taken the district. Yasser Alyousef from the political office of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group said rebels had recovered positions they had lost on Monday. Syrian government forces backed by allied militias and Russian air power launched a major assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo in September after besieging the area, which the United Nations says is home to 275,000 people. On Oct. 29, rebels counter-attacked in a bid to break the siege, targeting government-held western districts of Aleppo in an offensive that included Islamist militants and rebels fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner. But their progress slowed after early gains. There were conflicting accounts of fighting on Tuesday in the village of Minian, also on the western edge of Aleppo. Syrian state media said the army had advanced in Minian, which was taken by rebels at the start of their campaign. The Observatory said the army and its allies had fully recaptured Minian, after heavy air strikes. The fall of Minian to the government would reverse some of the gains rebels have made during their offensive. But Malahifji, of the Fastaqim rebel group, denied that there were any clashes inside the village. "Minian is still with the rebels," he said. Russia says its air force has been observing a moratorium on air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo since Oct. 18. The Observatory and emergency workers in eastern Aleppo said heavy air strikes had killed hundreds of people, and hit hospitals and other civilian facilities prior to that. Russia is preparing to resume air strikes around Aleppo "in coming hours", the Interfax news agency quoted a source in the Russian Defence Ministry as saying on Tuesday. Rebel shelling of government-held western Aleppo has meanwhile killed dozens of people, the United Nations said last week in an update on the humanitarian situation in the city. (Reuters)

Syrian army retakes key Aleppo district as fighting rages on

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

An inquiry by the United Nations and a global chemical weapons watchdog has said&nbsp;Syrian government forces were responsible for a third toxic gas attack -- Syria has&nbsp;already been held responsible for two earlier attacks --&nbsp;in the country.&nbsp;

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) presented the report to the UN Security Council on Friday; the report&nbsp;said the Syrian army had attacked the village of Qmenas with chemical weapons in March 2015.&nbsp;

Syrian forces had used helicopters to drop barrel bombs&nbsp;which released chlorine gas, the report said. The report added the helicopters were from the 63rd brigade but&nbsp;it &quot;could not confirm the names of the individuals who took command&quot; of the operation.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;previous report had blamed President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government for two earlier chlorine gas attacks, one in Hama province on April 21, 2014 and the other in Idlib province on March 16, 2015.&nbsp;

Chlorine gas, a highly deadly hydrochloric acid, is prohibited under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013. Syria had agreed to destroy its chemical weapons under the deal brokered by Moscow and Washington. The UN Security Council had backed the deal.&nbsp;

With the report&#39;s investigators demanding those &quot;with effective control in the military...&nbsp;be held accountable&quot;, the latest report has set the stage for a showdown between the five UNSC powers.

Syria&#39;s major ally, Russia, has&nbsp;said the conclusions cannot be used to impose UN sanctions.&nbsp;

The 13-month long inquiry focused on nine chemical weapons attacks in seven areas of Syria, but the inquiry was unable to reach a conclusion in five cases. &nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

President Bashar al-Assad's forces have already been held responsible for two earlier chemical weapons attacks

An inquiry by the United Nations and a global chemical weapons watchdog has said Syrian government forces were responsible for a third toxic gas attack -- Syria has already been held responsible for two earlier attacks -- in the country. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) presented the report to the UN Security Council on Friday; the report said the Syrian army had attacked the village of Qmenas with chemical weapons in March 2015. Syrian forces had used helicopters to drop barrel bombs which released chlorine gas, the report said. The report added the helicopters were from the 63rd brigade but it "could not confirm the names of the individuals who took command" of the operation. A previous report had blamed President Bashar al-Assad's government for two earlier chlorine gas attacks, one in Hama province on April 21, 2014 and the other in Idlib province on March 16, 2015. Chlorine gas, a highly deadly hydrochloric acid, is prohibited under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013. Syria had agreed to destroy its chemical weapons under the deal brokered by Moscow and Washington. The UN Security Council had backed the deal. With the report's investigators demanding those "with effective control in the military... be held accountable", the latest report has set the stage for a showdown between the five UNSC powers. Syria's major ally, Russia, has said the conclusions cannot be used to impose UN sanctions. The 13-month long inquiry focused on nine chemical weapons attacks in seven areas of Syria, but the inquiry was unable to reach a conclusion in five cases. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Syrian government forces blamed for third chlorine gas attack on civilians

Hundreds of wounded civilians were stranded in rebel-held areas of Syria&#39;s Aleppo on Saturday after the UN said security concerns had prevented evacuation convoys even as Russia extended a ceasefire into a third day.

The unilateral &quot;humanitarian pause&quot; in the Syrian army&#39;s devastating Russian-backed assault on the opposition-controlled east of the city has largely held since it began on Thursday morning.

The army has said it is an opportunity for civilians and rebel fighters who lay down their arms to leave.

But so far there have been no organised evacuation convoys and only a handful of the 250,000 civilians still living in the rebel sector have left under their own steam.

An AFP photographer in the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood at one of the crossings over the front line the army has set up for evacuations said it was deserted on Saturday morning.

After three months of siege by the army and nearly four weeks of relentless air strikes by Syrian and Russian warplanes, trust in government assurances of safe passage is minimal.

On Friday, the UN human rights council called for a special investigation into the violence in Aleppo in a resolution fiercely critical of Damascus.

The United Nations had hoped to use the ceasefire to evacuate seriously wounded people, and possibly deliver aid.

More than 2,000 civilians have been wounded since the army launched its offensive to drive the rebels out of the eastern districts they have held since 2012. Nearly 500 people have been killed.

But on Friday, a UN spokesman said evacuations had been delayed because of security concerns.

&quot;Medical evacuations of sick and injured could unfortunately not begin this morning as planned because the necessary conditions were not in place,&quot; said Jens Laerke of the United Nations humanitarian office (OCHA).

Four-day plan

In the face of a mounting international outcry over Aleppo&#39;s plight, Moscow announced that the ceasefire, which was originally scheduled to last just eight hours, would be extended until 1600 GMT on Saturday.

But Laerke said that was not long enough and the United Nations has asked Russia to consider a further extension until Monday evening.

David Swanson, an OCHA spokesman in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, said a four-day plan had been drawn up to begin with two days of evacuations to government-held areas of Aleppo, rebel-held Idlib province to the west or over the border to Turkey.

If successful, the plan would then see aid delivered for another two days alongside continuing evacuations.

No aid has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday.

The Syrian opposition has accused the world body of playing into the hands of Damascus and Moscow by focusing on evacuations rather providing relief supplies to allow residents to stay.

Moscow has accused jihadists among the rebels of forcibly preventing civilians from leaving.&nbsp;

It has warned that if fighters of former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Shams Front do not leave the city, the offensive will resume.

Fears of worse bloodshed

Senior military official Sergei Rudskoi acknowledged that on the first day of the truce just seven civilians and eight wounded fighters had left.

He said the jihadists were &quot;doing everything to prevent the exit of civilians and members of armed groups from east Aleppo.&quot;

&quot;The terrorists are using the ceasefire in their interests,&quot; he said.

&quot;We are seeing them massing around Aleppo and preparing for another breakthrough into the city&#39;s western neighbourhoods.&quot;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights warned that if the ceasefire broke down, there was the risk of even greater bloodshed.

&quot;The regime and the rebels are both bolstering their forces, which raises fears of a massive military operation if the ceasefire fails,&quot; its director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The UN human rights council called in its resolution on Friday for &quot;a comprehensive, independent special inquiry into the events in Aleppo&quot;, and for those responsible for the most serious violations to be identified.

The resolution demanded that warring parties &quot;in particular the Syrian authorities and their allies&quot;, allow unrestricted humanitarian access to desperate civilians and &quot;end immediately all bombardments and military flights over Aleppo city&quot;.

(AFP)

The 'humanitarian pause' in the assault has largely held since Thursday morning but there has been no organised evacuation

Hundreds of wounded civilians were stranded in rebel-held areas of Syria's Aleppo on Saturday after the UN said security concerns had prevented evacuation convoys even as Russia extended a ceasefire into a third day. The unilateral "humanitarian pause" in the Syrian army's devastating Russian-backed assault on the opposition-controlled east of the city has largely held since it began on Thursday morning. The army has said it is an opportunity for civilians and rebel fighters who lay down their arms to leave. But so far there have been no organised evacuation convoys and only a handful of the 250,000 civilians still living in the rebel sector have left under their own steam. An AFP photographer in the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood at one of the crossings over the front line the army has set up for evacuations said it was deserted on Saturday morning. After three months of siege by the army and nearly four weeks of relentless air strikes by Syrian and Russian warplanes, trust in government assurances of safe passage is minimal. On Friday, the UN human rights council called for a special investigation into the violence in Aleppo in a resolution fiercely critical of Damascus. The United Nations had hoped to use the ceasefire to evacuate seriously wounded people, and possibly deliver aid. More than 2,000 civilians have been wounded since the army launched its offensive to drive the rebels out of the eastern districts they have held since 2012. Nearly 500 people have been killed. But on Friday, a UN spokesman said evacuations had been delayed because of security concerns. "Medical evacuations of sick and injured could unfortunately not begin this morning as planned because the necessary conditions were not in place," said Jens Laerke of the United Nations humanitarian office (OCHA). Four-day plan In the face of a mounting international outcry over Aleppo's plight, Moscow announced that the ceasefire, which was originally scheduled to last just eight hours, would be extended until 1600 GMT on Saturday. But Laerke said that was not long enough and the United Nations has asked Russia to consider a further extension until Monday evening. David Swanson, an OCHA spokesman in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, said a four-day plan had been drawn up to begin with two days of evacuations to government-held areas of Aleppo, rebel-held Idlib province to the west or over the border to Turkey. If successful, the plan would then see aid delivered for another two days alongside continuing evacuations. No aid has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday. The Syrian opposition has accused the world body of playing into the hands of Damascus and Moscow by focusing on evacuations rather providing relief supplies to allow residents to stay. Moscow has accused jihadists among the rebels of forcibly preventing civilians from leaving. It has warned that if fighters of former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Shams Front do not leave the city, the offensive will resume. Fears of worse bloodshed Senior military official Sergei Rudskoi acknowledged that on the first day of the truce just seven civilians and eight wounded fighters had left. He said the jihadists were "doing everything to prevent the exit of civilians and members of armed groups from east Aleppo." "The terrorists are using the ceasefire in their interests," he said. "We are seeing them massing around Aleppo and preparing for another breakthrough into the city's western neighbourhoods." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights warned that if the ceasefire broke down, there was the risk of even greater bloodshed. "The regime and the rebels are both bolstering their forces, which raises fears of a massive military operation if the ceasefire fails," its director Rami Abdel Rahman said. The UN human rights council called in its resolution on Friday for "a comprehensive, independent special inquiry into the events in Aleppo", and for those responsible for the most serious violations to be identified. The resolution demanded that warring parties "in particular the Syrian authorities and their allies", allow unrestricted humanitarian access to desperate civilians and "end immediately all bombardments and military flights over Aleppo city". (AFP)

Aleppo truce: Wounded await evacuation on day three

The Syrian cease-fire appears near collapse after scores of Syrian soldiers loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were killed in a United States-led coalition air strike on Saturday. 
 
One of the key tenets of the Syrian &quot;cessation of hostilities&quot; brokered by Washington and Moscow was to freeze all attacks on forces allied to either camps. 
 
But the latest air strike, which killed at least 62 soldiers of the Syrian regime at&nbsp;Jebel Tharda near Deir al-Zor airport, has jeopardised the truce signed by the US and Russia.&nbsp; 
 
Moscow called for an emergency UN security meeting with the US but that ended abruptly. 
 
While Washington dubbed Moscow&#39;s request for the meeting as a &quot;stunt&quot;, Russia said the US was violating the peace agreements.&nbsp; 
 
The US, however, has apologised for the Saturday strike, saying they had intended to attack &quot;Daesh (IS) fighting position&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
The Pentagon said coalition forces &quot;would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit&quot;. 
 
But the latest development has got Moscow &quot;deeply worried&quot; about the continuation of the peace deal signed earlier this week.&nbsp; 
 
The Syria cease-fire was signed by US and Russia on September 12, halting months of deadly violence in Syria.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The actions of the pilots &mdash;&nbsp;if they, as we hope, were not taken on orders from Washington &mdash;&nbsp;fall between criminal negligence and direct pandering to IS terrorists,&quot; a statement from the Russian foreign ministry said, AFP reported. 
 
Russia is also worried about US&#39; inability to get all factions of Syrian rebels give their full backing to the cease-fire.&nbsp; 
 
The US-allied Syrian rebels have agreed to &quot;cooperate positively&quot; to the peace deal but they have voiced their concerns about its long-term efficacy.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, government forces which are supported by Russia have launched a fresh offensive against Islamic State in the key airbase of Deir Ezzor, AFP quoted unnamed military sources as saying. 
 
The Syrian government said the offensive was necessary as the truce has given IS time to recover and plan its next strikes. 
 
The airbase is crucial as IS is using it to bomb Syrian army aircraft. On Sunday, IS claimed to have struck a Syrian plane close to Deir Ezzor, killing one pilot.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

Washington's 'unintentional' bombing of a Syrian army position has got Moscow 'deeply worried' about the efficacy of the peace deal

The Syrian cease-fire appears near collapse after scores of Syrian soldiers loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were killed in a United States-led coalition air strike on Saturday. One of the key tenets of the Syrian "cessation of hostilities" brokered by Washington and Moscow was to freeze all attacks on forces allied to either camps. But the latest air strike, which killed at least 62 soldiers of the Syrian regime at Jebel Tharda near Deir al-Zor airport, has jeopardised the truce signed by the US and Russia. Moscow called for an emergency UN security meeting with the US but that ended abruptly. While Washington dubbed Moscow's request for the meeting as a "stunt", Russia said the US was violating the peace agreements. The US, however, has apologised for the Saturday strike, saying they had intended to attack "Daesh (IS) fighting position". The Pentagon said coalition forces "would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit". But the latest development has got Moscow "deeply worried" about the continuation of the peace deal signed earlier this week. The Syria cease-fire was signed by US and Russia on September 12, halting months of deadly violence in Syria. "The actions of the pilots — if they, as we hope, were not taken on orders from Washington — fall between criminal negligence and direct pandering to IS terrorists," a statement from the Russian foreign ministry said, AFP reported. Russia is also worried about US' inability to get all factions of Syrian rebels give their full backing to the cease-fire. The US-allied Syrian rebels have agreed to "cooperate positively" to the peace deal but they have voiced their concerns about its long-term efficacy. Meanwhile, government forces which are supported by Russia have launched a fresh offensive against Islamic State in the key airbase of Deir Ezzor, AFP quoted unnamed military sources as saying. The Syrian government said the offensive was necessary as the truce has given IS time to recover and plan its next strikes. The airbase is crucial as IS is using it to bomb Syrian army aircraft. On Sunday, IS claimed to have struck a Syrian plane close to Deir Ezzor, killing one pilot. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Syria truce frays after US-led air strike kills soldiers

Syrian government troops backed by Russian air power moved to within 25 km (15 miles) of an Islamic State-held town in Raqqa province today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, as state media reported air strikes against the jihadists in the area.

In a separate simultaneous campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, US-backed militias captured more territory from the group near the city of Manbij in Aleppo province, said a spokesman for the forces. The Observatory said they were now two&nbsp;km from the Islamic State-held city.

The offensives both got underway last week and are targeting the Islamic State in areas of major strategic importance to its foothold in Syria, where it controls swathes of land up to the Iraqi border.

They are taking place at the same time as an assault by the Iraqi army against Falluja, an Islamic State bastion close to Baghdad. The simultaneous assaults by a myriad of enemies on farflung fronts amount to some of the greatest pressure Islamic State has faced since declaring its caliphate to rule over all Muslims from Iraq and Syria two years ago.

The Syrian army&#39;s advance into Raqqa province, which has not been announced by the military, is initially targeting the Islamic State-held town of Tabqa, according to the Observatory and pro-Damascus media sources.

Raqqa province is a major base of operations for Islamic State and home to its de facto capital, Raqqa city.

Syrian state-run TV station Ikhbariya said&nbsp;that the Syrian air force had targeted Islamic State positions south of Tabqa in the Rasafa area, destroying vehicles equipped with machine guns.

The Syrian military could not immediately be reached for comment. A military source said that&nbsp;on Monday the army had advanced to the edge of Raqqa province, from where it could&nbsp;move&nbsp;in several directions against the Islamic State.

The Observatory, citing its activists on the ground, said the Islamic State had sent weapons and fighters from Raqqa city to Tabqa.

The separate US-backed campaign that got underway last week aims to dislodge the Islamic State from its last foothold at the Syrian-Turkish frontier and shut off its main access route to the outside world for material and manpower.

It is being fought on the ground by militias including the Kurdish YPG and allied Arab groups, which together formed an alliance last year known as the Syria Democratic Forces. It has proven to be the first effective fighting force allied to Washington during five years of multi-sided civil war in Syria.

Sharfan Darwish, spokesman for the Manbij Military Council that is part of the US-backed force, said: &quot;We are advancing on all fronts of our assault.&quot;

The United States has consistently rejected the idea of partnering in the fight against the Islamic State with President Bashar al-Assad, saying he should leave power. Some of Assad&#39;s opponents have accused the Kurdish YPG of coordinating with his government&#39;s forces, which the Kurds deny.

The Syrian army's advance into Raqqa province is initially targeting the Islamic State-held town of Tabqa

Syrian government troops backed by Russian air power moved to within 25 km (15 miles) of an Islamic State-held town in Raqqa province today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, as state media reported air strikes against the jihadists in the area. In a separate simultaneous campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, US-backed militias captured more territory from the group near the city of Manbij in Aleppo province, said a spokesman for the forces. The Observatory said they were now two km from the Islamic State-held city. The offensives both got underway last week and are targeting the Islamic State in areas of major strategic importance to its foothold in Syria, where it controls swathes of land up to the Iraqi border. They are taking place at the same time as an assault by the Iraqi army against Falluja, an Islamic State bastion close to Baghdad. The simultaneous assaults by a myriad of enemies on farflung fronts amount to some of the greatest pressure Islamic State has faced since declaring its caliphate to rule over all Muslims from Iraq and Syria two years ago. The Syrian army's advance into Raqqa province, which has not been announced by the military, is initially targeting the Islamic State-held town of Tabqa, according to the Observatory and pro-Damascus media sources. Raqqa province is a major base of operations for Islamic State and home to its de facto capital, Raqqa city. Syrian state-run TV station Ikhbariya said that the Syrian air force had targeted Islamic State positions south of Tabqa in the Rasafa area, destroying vehicles equipped with machine guns. The Syrian military could not immediately be reached for comment. A military source said that on Monday the army had advanced to the edge of Raqqa province, from where it could move in several directions against the Islamic State. The Observatory, citing its activists on the ground, said the Islamic State had sent weapons and fighters from Raqqa city to Tabqa. The separate US-backed campaign that got underway last week aims to dislodge the Islamic State from its last foothold at the Syrian-Turkish frontier and shut off its main access route to the outside world for material and manpower. It is being fought on the ground by militias including the Kurdish YPG and allied Arab groups, which together formed an alliance last year known as the Syria Democratic Forces. It has proven to be the first effective fighting force allied to Washington during five years of multi-sided civil war in Syria. Sharfan Darwish, spokesman for the Manbij Military Council that is part of the US-backed force, said: "We are advancing on all fronts of our assault." The United States has consistently rejected the idea of partnering in the fight against the Islamic State with President Bashar al-Assad, saying he should leave power. Some of Assad's opponents have accused the Kurdish YPG of coordinating with his government's forces, which the Kurds deny.

Syrian army, US-backed forces advance separately against IS

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