The new government push came as the UN said that nearly two million people in Aleppo, Syria's largest city and onetime commercial centre, are without running water following an escalation in fighting over the past few days. Another unnamed Syrian military official quoted by state TV confirmed the capture of Handarat, adding that many insurgents were killed. People inspect a damaged site after airstrikes on the rebel held Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria, September 23, 2016. The statement adds that "airstrikes involving the use of incendiary weapons" in densely populated areas "may amount to war crimes." "Depriving children of water puts them at risk of catastrophic outbreaks of water-borne diseases," Singer warned in her statement, released late Friday.

Source: CBC News September 24, 2016 12:34 UTC