The Syrian government offensive to recapture rebel-held parts of Aleppo sparked international alarm on Tuesday, with the UN saying nearly 16,000 people had fled the assault and more could follow.

France called for an immediate UN Security Council session on the fighting, which has seen the army capture a third of opposition-controlled east Aleppo in recent days.

The fighting has prompted an exodus of terrified civilians, many fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory, or crossing into government-controlled western Aleppo or Kurdish districts.

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O&#39;Brien said the situation was &quot;alarming and chilling&quot;.

&quot;Up to 16,000 people have been displaced, many into uncertain and precarious situations,&quot; he said.

The figure excludes civilians who have escaped to remaining rebel-held territory, and O&#39;Brien warned it was &quot;likely that thousands more will have no choice but to flee should fighting continue.&quot;

East Aleppo has been under government siege for more than four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low.

World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said civilians were enduring a &quot;slow motion descent into hell.&quot;

Government forces have advanced swiftly in their two-week operation, capturing all of the city&#39;s northeast in a major blow to the opposition.

Sleeping in streets

The loss of their east Aleppo stronghold would be the worst defeat for rebels since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted more than five years ago.

The opposition has steadily lost territory in recent months to government forces bolstered by a Russian military intervention that began in September 2015.

Moscow says it is not involved in the Aleppo offensive, but a Russian defence ministry spokesman said Syrian government forces had seized &quot;nearly half the territory occupied by rebels in east Aleppo in recent years&quot;.

&quot;The careful and long-planned operations by the Syrian army have radically changed the situation over the past 24 hours,&quot; said General Igor Konashenkov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his government to set up mobile field hospitals around Aleppo, the Kremlin said.

A hospital with a capacity of up to 250 patients a day will be sent to the Aleppo region on Wednesday morning, according to Russian news agencies.

More than 250 civilians have been killed in the government&#39;s assault on east Aleppo since November 15, including nearly 30 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The monitor said at least 10 civilians were killed in a strike in the Bab al-Nayrab district on Tuesday and reported ongoing clashes in the Shaar and Tariq al-Bab neighbourhoods.

The Observatory said the civilian exodus continued Tuesday from neighbourhoods now on the front line.

An AFP correspondent said families were forced to sleep in the streets or in unfurnished apartments left empty by fleeing residents.

Rights group Amnesty International urged Syrian authorities to protect civilians in recaptured areas.

&quot;Given the Syrian government&#39;s long and dark history of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances on a mass scale, it is even more crucial that civilians are protected in newly captured areas of Aleppo city,&quot; said Samah Hadid, Amnesty&#39;s deputy director for campaigns in Beirut.

Children &#39;sitting targets&#39;

And Save the Children warned the assault was separating families and leaving thousands, including children, homeless and at risk.

&quot;With so many people trapped in an ever-shrinking space, children can be little more than sitting targets for bombs,&quot; said Syria director Sonia Khush.

Backers of Syria&#39;s moderate opposition have expressed concern about the army&#39;s advances, but have shown little willingness to intervene.

France&#39;s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called Tuesday for an &quot;immediate&quot; UN Security Council meeting to discuss the &quot;humanitarian disaster&quot; in Aleppo.

&quot;More than ever, there is an urgent need for a cessation of hostilities and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance,&quot; he said.

On the ground, residents expressed despair and uncertainty for the future, after months of food shortages and heavy bombardment.

Syria&#39;s conflict has killed more than 300,000 people and drawn in world powers including a US-led air coalition fighting the Islamic State group.

After a six-week probe, the Pentagon on Tuesday said intelligence errors resulted in a coalition strike that reportedly killed about 90 Syrian government forces in eastern Deir Ezzor in September.

Also on Tuesday, at least 1,200 including rebels and their relatives were evacuated from a rebel stronghold near Damascus to the northwest province of Idlib, the Observatory and aid workers said.

Local leaders in Khan al-Shih, southwest of the capital, struck a deal with Damascus that would see their town brought back under regime control in exchange for an end to the government siege.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Many terrified civilians are fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory or crossing into govt-controlled districts

The Syrian government offensive to recapture rebel-held parts of Aleppo sparked international alarm on Tuesday, with the UN saying nearly 16,000 people had fled the assault and more could follow. France called for an immediate UN Security Council session on the fighting, which has seen the army capture a third of opposition-controlled east Aleppo in recent days. The fighting has prompted an exodus of terrified civilians, many fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory, or crossing into government-controlled western Aleppo or Kurdish districts. UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said the situation was "alarming and chilling". "Up to 16,000 people have been displaced, many into uncertain and precarious situations," he said. The figure excludes civilians who have escaped to remaining rebel-held territory, and O'Brien warned it was "likely that thousands more will have no choice but to flee should fighting continue." East Aleppo has been under government siege for more than four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low. World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said civilians were enduring a "slow motion descent into hell." Government forces have advanced swiftly in their two-week operation, capturing all of the city's northeast in a major blow to the opposition. Sleeping in streets The loss of their east Aleppo stronghold would be the worst defeat for rebels since Syria's conflict erupted more than five years ago. The opposition has steadily lost territory in recent months to government forces bolstered by a Russian military intervention that began in September 2015. Moscow says it is not involved in the Aleppo offensive, but a Russian defence ministry spokesman said Syrian government forces had seized "nearly half the territory occupied by rebels in east Aleppo in recent years". "The careful and long-planned operations by the Syrian army have radically changed the situation over the past 24 hours," said General Igor Konashenkov. Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his government to set up mobile field hospitals around Aleppo, the Kremlin said. A hospital with a capacity of up to 250 patients a day will be sent to the Aleppo region on Wednesday morning, according to Russian news agencies. More than 250 civilians have been killed in the government's assault on east Aleppo since November 15, including nearly 30 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitor said at least 10 civilians were killed in a strike in the Bab al-Nayrab district on Tuesday and reported ongoing clashes in the Shaar and Tariq al-Bab neighbourhoods. The Observatory said the civilian exodus continued Tuesday from neighbourhoods now on the front line. An AFP correspondent said families were forced to sleep in the streets or in unfurnished apartments left empty by fleeing residents. Rights group Amnesty International urged Syrian authorities to protect civilians in recaptured areas. "Given the Syrian government's long and dark history of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances on a mass scale, it is even more crucial that civilians are protected in newly captured areas of Aleppo city," said Samah Hadid, Amnesty's deputy director for campaigns in Beirut. Children 'sitting targets' And Save the Children warned the assault was separating families and leaving thousands, including children, homeless and at risk. "With so many people trapped in an ever-shrinking space, children can be little more than sitting targets for bombs," said Syria director Sonia Khush. Backers of Syria's moderate opposition have expressed concern about the army's advances, but have shown little willingness to intervene. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called Tuesday for an "immediate" UN Security Council meeting to discuss the "humanitarian disaster" in Aleppo. "More than ever, there is an urgent need for a cessation of hostilities and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance," he said. On the ground, residents expressed despair and uncertainty for the future, after months of food shortages and heavy bombardment. Syria's conflict has killed more than 300,000 people and drawn in world powers including a US-led air coalition fighting the Islamic State group. After a six-week probe, the Pentagon on Tuesday said intelligence errors resulted in a coalition strike that reportedly killed about 90 Syrian government forces in eastern Deir Ezzor in September. Also on Tuesday, at least 1,200 including rebels and their relatives were evacuated from a rebel stronghold near Damascus to the northwest province of Idlib, the Observatory and aid workers said. Local leaders in Khan al-Shih, southwest of the capital, struck a deal with Damascus that would see their town brought back under regime control in exchange for an end to the government siege. (AFP)

Aleppo war: UN raises alarm as thousands of civilians flee

Russia pounded Syrian provinces of Homs and Idlib with coordinated air strikes Tuesday targeting the Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, Reuters reported.

Cruise missiles and missiles fired from a mobile land-based missile system inside Syria were complemented by jets fired from Russia&#39;s sole aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, which was used for the first time, defence minister Sergei Shoigu said.

&quot;We carried out exhaustive advance research on all targets,&quot; Shoigu told Reuters. &quot;We are talking about warehouses with ammunition, terrorist training centres ... and factories.&quot;

The defence minister said the strikes in the provinces would continue. He made no mention of the city of Aleppo which has been targeted by Russia-backed Syrian forces for months and where a 72-hour truce between US and Russia recently came to an end.

However, Syrian state television said Syria&#39;s air force carried out strikes on Aleppo on Tuesday.&nbsp;

A civil defence official and a resident told Reuters air strikes had resumed in several districts in the rebel-held eastern part of the city for the first time in weeks.

Russia claims its air force is for now honouring a unilateral moratorium on hitting rebel targets inside Aleppo, Reuters reported.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Russia also used its sole aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, for the first time in the combat

Russia pounded Syrian provinces of Homs and Idlib with coordinated air strikes Tuesday targeting the Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, Reuters reported. Cruise missiles and missiles fired from a mobile land-based missile system inside Syria were complemented by jets fired from Russia's sole aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, which was used for the first time, defence minister Sergei Shoigu said. "We carried out exhaustive advance research on all targets," Shoigu told Reuters. "We are talking about warehouses with ammunition, terrorist training centres ... and factories." The defence minister said the strikes in the provinces would continue. He made no mention of the city of Aleppo which has been targeted by Russia-backed Syrian forces for months and where a 72-hour truce between US and Russia recently came to an end. However, Syrian state television said Syria's air force carried out strikes on Aleppo on Tuesday. A civil defence official and a resident told Reuters air strikes had resumed in several districts in the rebel-held eastern part of the city for the first time in weeks. Russia claims its air force is for now honouring a unilateral moratorium on hitting rebel targets inside Aleppo, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Russia launches missile attacks against IS, Nusra Front in Syria

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

Israel forces attacked a Syrian military position in retaliation to a rocket from Syria that hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights, the army said, news agency AFP reported.

&quot;In response to the projectile which hit Israel earlier today, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted an artillery position of the Syrian regime in the northern Syrian Golan Heights,&quot; a statement said.

The attack on Golan Heights was likely&nbsp;a stray fire between Syrian government forces and rebels. Isreal, however, considers any fire from its territory a responsibility of the Syrian government.

The rocket caused no casualties, the army said. It was &quot;most likely a result of the internal fighting in Syria&quot;.

Israel has sought to avoid being drawn into the conflict, but has attacked Syrian military targets when fire spills over the demarcation line, AFP said.

In 1967, Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

(With inputs from AFP)

The rocket that hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights was believed to be stray fire from fighting between the Syrian forces and rebels

Israel forces attacked a Syrian military position in retaliation to a rocket from Syria that hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights, the army said, news agency AFP reported. "In response to the projectile which hit Israel earlier today, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted an artillery position of the Syrian regime in the northern Syrian Golan Heights," a statement said. The attack on Golan Heights was likely a stray fire between Syrian government forces and rebels. Isreal, however, considers any fire from its territory a responsibility of the Syrian government. The rocket caused no casualties, the army said. It was "most likely a result of the internal fighting in Syria". Israel has sought to avoid being drawn into the conflict, but has attacked Syrian military targets when fire spills over the demarcation line, AFP said. In 1967, Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. (With inputs from AFP)

Israel targets Syrian position after rocket hits Golan

US-backed Syrian rebels said a peace deal will have little meaning till the time bombing in Aleppo is stopped.&nbsp; 
 
Aleppo, Syria&#39;s largest city, has been bombed severely in the last few days by Russia-supported Syrian government.&nbsp; 
 
More than 30 rebel groups, including those backed by Turkey, Gulf states and the West, said the &quot;unprecedented&quot; bombing of the past few days would undermine the significance of any peace deal brokered by Russia and the US in the coming days.&nbsp; 
 
The statement also expressed the rebels&#39; wariness about the West&#39;s attempt to forge a peace deal with Russia.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It (Russia) is a partner with the regime in its crimes against our people,&quot; the statement read. 
 
The statement also accused Syrian forces of using napalm and chemical weapons in the war against them. 
 
The rebels&#39; apprehension comes close on the heels of&nbsp;Britain, France and the US on Saturday requesting for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting on the escalating campaign in Aleppo. The meeting is said to be held later today. 
 
More than 300,000 people have lost their lives since the Syrian war broke out in 2012.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)
<div>&nbsp;</div>

Rebels are wary of any peace deal involving Russia, a country that has put its weight behind the Syrian regime

US-backed Syrian rebels said a peace deal will have little meaning till the time bombing in Aleppo is stopped. Aleppo, Syria's largest city, has been bombed severely in the last few days by Russia-supported Syrian government. More than 30 rebel groups, including those backed by Turkey, Gulf states and the West, said the "unprecedented" bombing of the past few days would undermine the significance of any peace deal brokered by Russia and the US in the coming days. The statement also expressed the rebels' wariness about the West's attempt to forge a peace deal with Russia. "It (Russia) is a partner with the regime in its crimes against our people," the statement read. The statement also accused Syrian forces of using napalm and chemical weapons in the war against them. The rebels' apprehension comes close on the heels of Britain, France and the US on Saturday requesting for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting on the escalating campaign in Aleppo. The meeting is said to be held later today. More than 300,000 people have lost their lives since the Syrian war broke out in 2012. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Aleppo bombings undermine peace efforts: Syrian rebels

Syrian insurgents, who broke the siege of rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Saturday in a significant territorial gain, came under intense air attack from pro-government forces on Sunday, who were trying to repel the advance which also cut government-held Aleppo&#39;s main supply route.

Rebels have taken most of a large government military complex southwest of Aleppo city in a major offensive begun on Friday to break a month-long siege, and are now attacking further into government-held territory.

The surprise advance in Ramousah allowed fighters from insurgent areas in western Syria to break through a strip of government-controlled territory on Saturday and connect with fighters in the encircled sector of eastern Aleppo.

But fierce fighting and continuous Russian and Syrian air strikes in and around the Ramousah area mean no safe passage for besieged east Aleppo residents has been established, activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Fighters from a coalition of Islamist rebel groups called &quot;Jaish al-Fateh&quot; announced the start of a new phase to liberate the whole of Aleppo, saying it pledged to increased the numbers of fighters for the battle it said will only end by hoisting their flag on the ancient Aleppo citadel in government hands.

Jets believed to be Russian, intensified their bombing of rebel-held Aleppo countryside and also hit opposition-held Idlib city in north western Syria, rebels said.&nbsp;They released video footage that showed huge flames of fire it said was caused by white phosphorus bombs dropped on the city.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants to take full control of Aleppo, pre-war Syria&#39;s most populous city, which has been divided between rebel and government-held areas.&nbsp;Assad&#39;s government forces are supported in Syria by Russian air power, Iranian militias and fighters from Lebanon&#39;s Hezbollah group who have sent reinforcements to shore up the army .

Rebel gains this weekend could change the balance of power in Aleppo, after Assad said a siege by the&nbsp;government and allied forces on rebel-held east Aleppo in early July was a prelude to re-taking the city. The loss of Aleppo would be a crushing blow for rebels.

&quot;We have now seized full control of the Ramousah area...We are in our trenches but there are insane air strikes of unprecedented ferociousness. The regime is using cluster and vacuum bombs,&quot; said Abu al Hasanien, a senior commander in Fateh Halab, the coalition of moderate rebel groups inside the city.

Pro-Syrian government news channels have mostly played down the rebel gains and say Syrian army efforts have caused rebels to withdraw from some recently-gained areas.

But Lebanese pro-Syrian government news channel al Mayadeen said late on Saturday the Syrian army had &quot;withdrawn from a number of positions southwest of Aleppo and repositioned itself in new defensive lines&quot;.

The Syrian military was not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;As the insurgents took over parts of the government&#39;s Ramousah military complex, which contains a number of military colleges, they broadcast images of the weaponry and ammunition they were taking possession of.

Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, posted pictures of rows of armoured vehicles, munitions, howitzers, rockets and trucks.

The rebel front line is now pushing northwest into western held Aleppo on the edges of the Hamdaniya neighbourhood and a housing estate called the 3,000 project, rebels and the Observatory said.

North of Hamdaniya in the direction of the rebels&#39; push is another large government military complex, the Assad military engineering academy.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) congratulated rebels on making &quot;spectacular gains (which send) a clear message to the Assad regime, Iran and Russia that they will not be able to defeat the Syrian people or dictate the terms of a settlement.&quot;

 
Seiges

Fears are growing in government-held western Aleppo that it might become besieged by rebels, as east Aleppo has been by government forces, because the main route south to Damascus for goods transport, the Ramousah road, has been severed.

News of the rebel advance caused food prices to rise by as much as four times in western Aleppo, the Observatory said.

Following the cutting of the main Ramousah road, Observatory director Rami Abdurrahman told Reuters military vehicles can still get in an out of west Aleppo through remaining exit roads to the north, but these are not safe enough for civilians.

In eastern Aleppo, despite some scenes of celebration as fighters broke the siege yesterday, the lack of a safe route out means conditions for residents remain unchanged.&nbsp;Three vans of vegetables crossed into east Aleppo, Abdurrahman said, but this was a symbolic gesture, and the corridor is too dangerous for civilians or significant supplies to pass.

The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have said conditions in isolated rebel-held east Aleppo have become very concerning.

&quot;Most recently I&#39;m hearing that the markets are closed and it&#39;s next to impossible to purchase food. The UN estimates that collectively all aid supplies in east Aleppo&nbsp;will only last about two more&nbsp;weeks,&quot; Christy Delafield, senior communications officer for Mercy Corps, which runs the largest non-governmental aid operation inside Syria, told Reuters.

The multi-sided civil war in Syria, which has been raging since 2011, has drawn in regional and global powers, caused the world&#39;s worst humanitarian emergency and attracted recruits to Islamist militancy from around the world. 
 
(Reuters)

In an offensive begun on Friday, rebels took most of a large government military complex and are attacking the government-held territory

Syrian insurgents, who broke the siege of rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Saturday in a significant territorial gain, came under intense air attack from pro-government forces on Sunday, who were trying to repel the advance which also cut government-held Aleppo's main supply route. Rebels have taken most of a large government military complex southwest of Aleppo city in a major offensive begun on Friday to break a month-long siege, and are now attacking further into government-held territory. The surprise advance in Ramousah allowed fighters from insurgent areas in western Syria to break through a strip of government-controlled territory on Saturday and connect with fighters in the encircled sector of eastern Aleppo. But fierce fighting and continuous Russian and Syrian air strikes in and around the Ramousah area mean no safe passage for besieged east Aleppo residents has been established, activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Fighters from a coalition of Islamist rebel groups called "Jaish al-Fateh" announced the start of a new phase to liberate the whole of Aleppo, saying it pledged to increased the numbers of fighters for the battle it said will only end by hoisting their flag on the ancient Aleppo citadel in government hands. Jets believed to be Russian, intensified their bombing of rebel-held Aleppo countryside and also hit opposition-held Idlib city in north western Syria, rebels said. They released video footage that showed huge flames of fire it said was caused by white phosphorus bombs dropped on the city. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants to take full control of Aleppo, pre-war Syria's most populous city, which has been divided between rebel and government-held areas. Assad's government forces are supported in Syria by Russian air power, Iranian militias and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah group who have sent reinforcements to shore up the army . Rebel gains this weekend could change the balance of power in Aleppo, after Assad said a siege by the government and allied forces on rebel-held east Aleppo in early July was a prelude to re-taking the city. The loss of Aleppo would be a crushing blow for rebels. "We have now seized full control of the Ramousah area...We are in our trenches but there are insane air strikes of unprecedented ferociousness. The regime is using cluster and vacuum bombs," said Abu al Hasanien, a senior commander in Fateh Halab, the coalition of moderate rebel groups inside the city. Pro-Syrian government news channels have mostly played down the rebel gains and say Syrian army efforts have caused rebels to withdraw from some recently-gained areas. But Lebanese pro-Syrian government news channel al Mayadeen said late on Saturday the Syrian army had "withdrawn from a number of positions southwest of Aleppo and repositioned itself in new defensive lines". The Syrian military was not immediately available for comment. As the insurgents took over parts of the government's Ramousah military complex, which contains a number of military colleges, they broadcast images of the weaponry and ammunition they were taking possession of. Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, posted pictures of rows of armoured vehicles, munitions, howitzers, rockets and trucks. The rebel front line is now pushing northwest into western held Aleppo on the edges of the Hamdaniya neighbourhood and a housing estate called the 3,000 project, rebels and the Observatory said. North of Hamdaniya in the direction of the rebels' push is another large government military complex, the Assad military engineering academy. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) congratulated rebels on making "spectacular gains (which send) a clear message to the Assad regime, Iran and Russia that they will not be able to defeat the Syrian people or dictate the terms of a settlement." Seiges Fears are growing in government-held western Aleppo that it might become besieged by rebels, as east Aleppo has been by government forces, because the main route south to Damascus for goods transport, the Ramousah road, has been severed. News of the rebel advance caused food prices to rise by as much as four times in western Aleppo, the Observatory said. Following the cutting of the main Ramousah road, Observatory director Rami Abdurrahman told Reuters military vehicles can still get in an out of west Aleppo through remaining exit roads to the north, but these are not safe enough for civilians. In eastern Aleppo, despite some scenes of celebration as fighters broke the siege yesterday, the lack of a safe route out means conditions for residents remain unchanged. Three vans of vegetables crossed into east Aleppo, Abdurrahman said, but this was a symbolic gesture, and the corridor is too dangerous for civilians or significant supplies to pass. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have said conditions in isolated rebel-held east Aleppo have become very concerning. "Most recently I'm hearing that the markets are closed and it's next to impossible to purchase food. The UN estimates that collectively all aid supplies in east Aleppo will only last about two more weeks," Christy Delafield, senior communications officer for Mercy Corps, which runs the largest non-governmental aid operation inside Syria, told Reuters. The multi-sided civil war in Syria, which has been raging since 2011, has drawn in regional and global powers, caused the world's worst humanitarian emergency and attracted recruits to Islamist militancy from around the world. (Reuters)

Jets pound rebels after they break month-long Aleppo siege

Syrian rebels said on Saturday they have broken a three-week government siege of second city Aleppo, turning the tables on Russian-backed regime forces who are now on the defensive. 
 
To the northeast, a Western-backed alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters scored a major victory against the Islamic State group in the town of Manbij after a fierce two-month battle. 
 
The developments have rocked the key northern province of Aleppo, a microcosm of Syria&#39;s chaotic multi-front war that has killed more than 280,000 people. 
 
Rebel and regime forces have fought to control the provincial capital since mid-2012, transforming the former economic powerhouse into a divided, bombed-out city. 
 
Opposition fighters, Islamists and jihadists have waged fierce assaults since July 31 to end the siege by government forces of some 250,000 people in eastern Aleppo. 
 
On Saturday, rebels successfully broke the siege by opening a new route into the city from the southwest, opposition officials said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Rebels break Aleppo&#39;s siege,&quot; tweeted the Istanbul-based opposition National Coalition. 
 
Islamist faction Ahrar al-Sham said rebels had seized control of Ramussa on the southwestern edges of the city and &quot;opened the route to Aleppo&quot;. 
 
But state television said late on Saturday the army had regained control of several key points in a military complex that rebels overran earlier.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Our armed forces took control of the part of the artillery school that had been seized by terrorists... while (rebel) groups withdrew from points in the armament school,&quot; it said, citing a military source. 
 
Al-Manar, the television station of the Lebanese group Hezbollah which is fighting alongside Syrian government forces, denied that Ramussa had fallen or that the siege had been broken. Riad Hijab, head of the broad opposition body the High Negotiations Committee, tweeted: &quot;The liberation of Ramussa and the breaking of the siege are a good omen for Syria`s revolution.&quot; 
 
An AFP journalist in eastern Aleppo said residents were on the streets and firing celebratory shots into the air. 
 
&quot;Days ago, I was only thinking about how to get a bite to eat,&quot; said Ahmad Adna, a 46-year-old resident of eastern Aleppo. 
 
&quot;Now I&#39;m more optimistic after the (rebel) Army of Conquest&#39;s advance. I hope today will be the last day of the siege.&quot; 
 
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said rebels &quot;broke the siege, but the route is not fully secure yet&quot; between the city and its outskirts.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This is an existential battle. Whoever wins it will win Aleppo.&quot; 
 
The monitor said more than 700 rebels and government fighters had been killed since the offensive began on Sunday -- 200 on Saturday alone. 
 
At least 130 civilians had been killed, among them seven on Saturday in rebel shelling of the regime-held neighbourhood of Hamdaniyeh, the Observatory said. 
 
The former Al-Nusra Front -- renamed the Fateh al-Sham Front after breaking from Al-Qaeda -- said on Saturday that rebels from inside Aleppo city had linked up with others on the outskirts. 
 
Drone footage posted by the group online showed a series of explosions on the edges of Aleppo, and columns of billowing black smoke.Fearful residents of western districts watched the news on television screens in street cafes. 
 
&quot;Of course I have faith in the army, but I can&#39;t help being scared. Food is already getting more expensive and the coming days risk being very difficult,&quot; said a 34-year-old resident of a government-held western quarter. 
 
&quot;We are thinking about how to leave,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
Also on Saturday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance defeated IS in Manbij. 
 
The Observatory said the SDF &quot;took control of Manbij... and are combing the city in search of the last remaining jihadists&quot;. 
 
Manbij had been a key transit point along IS&#39;s supply route from the Turkish border to Raqa, de facto capital of its self-styled &quot;caliphate&quot;. 
 
Backed by the US-led air coalition, the SDF offensive began on May 31 and it entered the town less than a month later, in an assault slowed by jihadist suicide attackers and car bombs. 
 
The Manbij Military Council -- a key component of the SDF -- said fighting was continuing near the town centre, however. 
 
&quot;We are in control of 90 percent of Manbij,&quot; spokesman Sherfan Darwish said. 
 
In the northwestern province of Idlib bordering Turkey, meanwhile, raids by either regime or Russian warplanes on Saturday near a hospital in Milis killed at least 10 civilians, the Observatory said. 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict first erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests but has since evolved into a fully fledged war largely dominated by jihadist groups. 
 
 
(AFP)

The siege was broken when the rebels opened a new route into the city from the southwest

Syrian rebels said on Saturday they have broken a three-week government siege of second city Aleppo, turning the tables on Russian-backed regime forces who are now on the defensive. To the northeast, a Western-backed alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters scored a major victory against the Islamic State group in the town of Manbij after a fierce two-month battle. The developments have rocked the key northern province of Aleppo, a microcosm of Syria's chaotic multi-front war that has killed more than 280,000 people. Rebel and regime forces have fought to control the provincial capital since mid-2012, transforming the former economic powerhouse into a divided, bombed-out city. Opposition fighters, Islamists and jihadists have waged fierce assaults since July 31 to end the siege by government forces of some 250,000 people in eastern Aleppo. On Saturday, rebels successfully broke the siege by opening a new route into the city from the southwest, opposition officials said. "Rebels break Aleppo's siege," tweeted the Istanbul-based opposition National Coalition. Islamist faction Ahrar al-Sham said rebels had seized control of Ramussa on the southwestern edges of the city and "opened the route to Aleppo". But state television said late on Saturday the army had regained control of several key points in a military complex that rebels overran earlier. "Our armed forces took control of the part of the artillery school that had been seized by terrorists... while (rebel) groups withdrew from points in the armament school," it said, citing a military source. Al-Manar, the television station of the Lebanese group Hezbollah which is fighting alongside Syrian government forces, denied that Ramussa had fallen or that the siege had been broken. Riad Hijab, head of the broad opposition body the High Negotiations Committee, tweeted: "The liberation of Ramussa and the breaking of the siege are a good omen for Syria`s revolution." An AFP journalist in eastern Aleppo said residents were on the streets and firing celebratory shots into the air. "Days ago, I was only thinking about how to get a bite to eat," said Ahmad Adna, a 46-year-old resident of eastern Aleppo. "Now I'm more optimistic after the (rebel) Army of Conquest's advance. I hope today will be the last day of the siege." Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said rebels "broke the siege, but the route is not fully secure yet" between the city and its outskirts. "This is an existential battle. Whoever wins it will win Aleppo." The monitor said more than 700 rebels and government fighters had been killed since the offensive began on Sunday -- 200 on Saturday alone. At least 130 civilians had been killed, among them seven on Saturday in rebel shelling of the regime-held neighbourhood of Hamdaniyeh, the Observatory said. The former Al-Nusra Front -- renamed the Fateh al-Sham Front after breaking from Al-Qaeda -- said on Saturday that rebels from inside Aleppo city had linked up with others on the outskirts. Drone footage posted by the group online showed a series of explosions on the edges of Aleppo, and columns of billowing black smoke.Fearful residents of western districts watched the news on television screens in street cafes. "Of course I have faith in the army, but I can't help being scared. Food is already getting more expensive and the coming days risk being very difficult," said a 34-year-old resident of a government-held western quarter. "We are thinking about how to leave," he told AFP. Also on Saturday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance defeated IS in Manbij. The Observatory said the SDF "took control of Manbij... and are combing the city in search of the last remaining jihadists". Manbij had been a key transit point along IS's supply route from the Turkish border to Raqa, de facto capital of its self-styled "caliphate". Backed by the US-led air coalition, the SDF offensive began on May 31 and it entered the town less than a month later, in an assault slowed by jihadist suicide attackers and car bombs. The Manbij Military Council -- a key component of the SDF -- said fighting was continuing near the town centre, however. "We are in control of 90 percent of Manbij," spokesman Sherfan Darwish said. In the northwestern province of Idlib bordering Turkey, meanwhile, raids by either regime or Russian warplanes on Saturday near a hospital in Milis killed at least 10 civilians, the Observatory said. Syria's conflict first erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests but has since evolved into a fully fledged war largely dominated by jihadist groups. (AFP)

Three-week siege broken in Aleppo: Syrian rebels

At least 29 Syrian rebels were killed in clashes with regime troops overnight during a failed bid to reopen the opposition`s key supply route into Aleppo city, a monitor said today. 
 
The fighters from the Faylaq al-Sham Islamist faction and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front were killed trying to reopen the Castello Road, which regime forces effectively severed on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. 
 
The road was the only remaining supply route into the opposition-held east of Aleppo city, which has been divided between government and rebel control since mid-2012. 
 
Government forces effectively severed the route on Thursday when they seized a hilltop within firing range of the Castello Road. 
 
The Observatory said there were deaths among government forces in the overnight fighting, but had no immediate toll. 
 
&quot;The attack has ended and the road remains completely closed,&quot; said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. 
 
(AFP)

Fighters from Faylaq al-Sham Islamist faction and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front were killed during a failed bid to reopen Castello Road

At least 29 Syrian rebels were killed in clashes with regime troops overnight during a failed bid to reopen the opposition`s key supply route into Aleppo city, a monitor said today. The fighters from the Faylaq al-Sham Islamist faction and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front were killed trying to reopen the Castello Road, which regime forces effectively severed on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The road was the only remaining supply route into the opposition-held east of Aleppo city, which has been divided between government and rebel control since mid-2012. Government forces effectively severed the route on Thursday when they seized a hilltop within firing range of the Castello Road. The Observatory said there were deaths among government forces in the overnight fighting, but had no immediate toll. "The attack has ended and the road remains completely closed," said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. (AFP)

29 Syria rebels killed in fighting for key Aleppo road

Islamist rebels and jihadists in Syria are guilty of war crimes, Amnesty International said in a report on Tuesday, accusing them of &quot;a chilling wave of abductions, torture and summary killings&quot;. 
 
The London-based rights group named five Syrian anti-regime factions operating in northern Syria: Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, hardliner Ahrar al-Sham, Nureddin Zinki, the Levant Front and Division 16. 
 
The groups have detained and tortured lawyers, journalists, and children, among others, for criticising them, committing acts seen as immoral, or being minorities, the report said. 
 
&quot;Many civilians live in constant fear of being abducted if they criticise the conduct of armed groups in power or fail to abide by the strict rules that some have imposed,&quot; said Philip Luther, head of Amnesty&#39;s Middle East and North Africa programme. 
 
&quot;In Aleppo and Idlib today, armed groups have free rein to commit war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law with impunity,&quot; he added. 
 
The report is based on 24 accounts of abduction by anti-regime groups between 2012 and 2016 and another five cases of torture. 
 
Halim, a humanitarian worker, was kidnapped and tortured by Nureddin Zinki rebels in Aleppo city until he confessed to a crime. 
 
&quot;When I refused to sign the confession paper, the interrogator ordered the guard to torture me,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;He then started beating me with cables on the soles of my feet. I couldn&#39;t bear the pain so I signed the paper,&quot; Halim said. 
 
Jihadist and hardline religious groups operate their own religious courts which punish crimes such as apostasy or adultery with death. 
 
Saleh was held by Al-Nusra in late 2014, and was told by his guard that five women accused of adultery would &quot;only be forgiven by death.&quot; 
 
He said he later watched a video showing Al-Nusra militants publicly killing one of the women execution-style. 
 
Amnesty said it documented violations in Idlib, which is held by Al-Nusra and its allies, and Aleppo. 
 
Syria&#39;s conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests but has since broken down into an all-out war, leaving more than 280,000 people dead. 
 
Rights groups have accused both the regime of Bashar al-Assad and anti-government factions of indiscriminate attacks, torture and detention. 
 
Amnesty called on world powers to &quot;pressure armed groups to end such abuses and comply with the laws of war&quot;. 
 
The report said regional powers must also stop providing weapons or other forms of support to any factions involved in war crimes or other violations. 
 
It said some of the accused groups &quot;are believed to have the support of governments such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the US&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

The report is based on 24 accounts of abduction by anti-regime groups between 2012 and 2016 and another five cases of torture

Islamist rebels and jihadists in Syria are guilty of war crimes, Amnesty International said in a report on Tuesday, accusing them of "a chilling wave of abductions, torture and summary killings". The London-based rights group named five Syrian anti-regime factions operating in northern Syria: Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, hardliner Ahrar al-Sham, Nureddin Zinki, the Levant Front and Division 16. The groups have detained and tortured lawyers, journalists, and children, among others, for criticising them, committing acts seen as immoral, or being minorities, the report said. "Many civilians live in constant fear of being abducted if they criticise the conduct of armed groups in power or fail to abide by the strict rules that some have imposed," said Philip Luther, head of Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa programme. "In Aleppo and Idlib today, armed groups have free rein to commit war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law with impunity," he added. The report is based on 24 accounts of abduction by anti-regime groups between 2012 and 2016 and another five cases of torture. Halim, a humanitarian worker, was kidnapped and tortured by Nureddin Zinki rebels in Aleppo city until he confessed to a crime. "When I refused to sign the confession paper, the interrogator ordered the guard to torture me," he said. "He then started beating me with cables on the soles of my feet. I couldn't bear the pain so I signed the paper," Halim said. Jihadist and hardline religious groups operate their own religious courts which punish crimes such as apostasy or adultery with death. Saleh was held by Al-Nusra in late 2014, and was told by his guard that five women accused of adultery would "only be forgiven by death." He said he later watched a video showing Al-Nusra militants publicly killing one of the women execution-style. Amnesty said it documented violations in Idlib, which is held by Al-Nusra and its allies, and Aleppo. Syria's conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests but has since broken down into an all-out war, leaving more than 280,000 people dead. Rights groups have accused both the regime of Bashar al-Assad and anti-government factions of indiscriminate attacks, torture and detention. Amnesty called on world powers to "pressure armed groups to end such abuses and comply with the laws of war". The report said regional powers must also stop providing weapons or other forms of support to any factions involved in war crimes or other violations. It said some of the accused groups "are believed to have the support of governments such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the US". (AFP)

Syrian rebels, jihadists guilty of war crimes: Amnesty report

Weapons shipped into Jordan for Syrian rebels by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, the New York Times reported, citing American and Jordanian officials.

Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, according to a joint investigation by the New York Times and Al Jazeera. (http://nyti.ms/292MmdH)

A Jordanian officer shot dead two US&nbsp;government security contractors, a South African trainer and two Jordanians at a US-funded police training facility near Amman before being killed in a shootout, Jordanian authorities had said in November.

The training facility was set up on the outskirts of the capital, Amman, after the 2003 US&nbsp;invasion of Iraq to help rebuild the shattered country&#39;s postwar security forces and to train Palestinian Authority police officers.

The weapons used in the shooting had originally arrived in Jordan for the Syrian rebel training program, the paper reported, citing American and Jordanian officials.

Theft of the weapons, which ended months ago after complaints by the American and Saudi governments, has led to a flood of new weapons available on the arms black market, the New York Times said.

Jordanian officers who were part of the plan &quot;reaped a windfall&quot; from sale of weapons, using the money to buy iPhones, SUVs and other luxury items, according to the paper, which cited Jordanian officials.

The&nbsp;CIA&nbsp;could not be immediately reached for comment. 
 
(Reuters)

Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others in Amman

Weapons shipped into Jordan for Syrian rebels by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, the New York Times reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, according to a joint investigation by the New York Times and Al Jazeera. (http://nyti.ms/292MmdH) A Jordanian officer shot dead two US government security contractors, a South African trainer and two Jordanians at a US-funded police training facility near Amman before being killed in a shootout, Jordanian authorities had said in November. The training facility was set up on the outskirts of the capital, Amman, after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq to help rebuild the shattered country's postwar security forces and to train Palestinian Authority police officers. The weapons used in the shooting had originally arrived in Jordan for the Syrian rebel training program, the paper reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Theft of the weapons, which ended months ago after complaints by the American and Saudi governments, has led to a flood of new weapons available on the arms black market, the New York Times said. Jordanian officers who were part of the plan "reaped a windfall" from sale of weapons, using the money to buy iPhones, SUVs and other luxury items, according to the paper, which cited Jordanian officials. The CIA could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reuters)

CIA weapons for Syrian rebels stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives, sold on black market

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