Syrian army begins decisive push for Aleppo as Russian jets pound rebels

Syrian troops and their allies, backed by Russian jets, attacked insurgent fighters in a fresh push to secure the strategic city of Aleppo on Friday. There were heavy clashes near the Jebel Azzan region, about 12 km (8 miles) south of the city, control of which is divided between government forces and rebels. The advance comes after two weeks of Russian aerial bombardment, supposedly targeted at Islamic State fighters but also suspected of hitting Western-backed rebel forces. “The military operation has started in rural southern Aleppo,” a pro-government source in Syria said.

Eight children, 22 women, and 13 civilian men were killed in the fighting, shelling and strikes

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights counts the dead in fighting on Thursday

Since Russia launched air strikes in support of president Bashar al-Assad, his army has waged offensives against insurgent-held regions in western Syria, including provinces taken by the rebels over the summer. On Friday, the army was reportedly fighting on three fronts south of Aleppo, recapturing the village of Abtin from rebel fighters, as well as a tank battalion base close to the village of Sabiqiya. Rebels had hit one army tank with a U.S.-made anti-tank missile. Dozens of Russian aerial attacks in the past 24 hours had struck the area, according to observers. Syrian troops are also being supported by thousands of Iranian soldiers who have made their way into the country during the past week.

Middle East aleppo