Damascus

As the air strikes by the Syrian government and Russia intensified, at least 25 people lost their lives in northwestern Syria, said the Syrian opposition-run rescue service known as the White Helmets early on Monday (Dec 2).

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Russian and Syrian jets bombarded the rebel-held city of Idlib situated in the northern part of Syria, said military sources on Sunday (Dec 1).

The attacks come after President Bashar al-Assad pledged to defeat insurgents who recently gained control of Aleppo.

The military also said that it had seized multiple towns that the rebels had invaded.

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One of the residents, as per news agency Reuters, said that the attack struck a crowded residential area in the heart of Idlib.

At least seven people lost their lives and dozens were wounded, said the rescuers.

The Syrian military and its ally Russia denied attacking civilians, saying they are only targeting the hideouts of the insurgent groups.

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Also read: Who are the Syrian rebels who have taken Aleppo after shock offensive?

At least 10 children were among the ones who lost their lives in the air strikes in and around Idlib, said the White Helmets.

The group, in a post on X, said the death toll from Syrian and Russian strikes since Wednesday (Nov 27) rose up to 56.

This includes 20 children.

Aleppo no longer under Assad govt's control 

The Aleppo city of Syria is no longer under the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government, for the first time since the conflict began in the country, the news agency AFP reported on Sunday (Dec 1), citing a war monitor.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP news agency that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied rebel factions "control Aleppo city, except the neighbourhoods controlled by the Kurdish forces."

"For the first time since the conflict started in 2012, Aleppo city is out of control of Syrian regime forces," Rahman added.

In the shock offensive, rebel factions breached Aleppo on Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016.

The advance on Aleppo followed a shock offensive by insurgents on Wednesday.

The surprise attack sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling under multiple wars.

(With inputs from agencies)