ALEPPO: Syrian rebels launched a major assault Friday aimed at breaking a months-long siege of opposition-held districts of Aleppo, as regime ally Russia held off on renewed air strikes. Despite Russian air support, the Syrian regime has had limited success in its attempts to seize the whole of Aleppo. The monitor reported fierce clashes on multiple fronts on the western and southern outskirts of west Aleppo, with three suicide car bombs targeting a checkpoint in the Dahiyet al-Assad neighbourhood. The rebels also targeted government positions east of Aleppo city and in the coastal province of Latakia, including the Hmeimim military base used by Russian forces allied with the regime. For its part, state television said “the army has foiled an attempt by terrorists to attack Aleppo city from several axes with suicide bomb attacks.”State news agency SANA said government planes were carrying out strikes south and west of Aleppo.

Source: New Strait Times October 29, 2016 02:55 UTC