Up to 16,000 people have been displaced in Syria's Aleppo by intense attacks on the rebel-held eastern part of the city, the United Nations humanitarian chief and relief coordinator Stephen O'Brien said on Tuesday, citing initial reports. There's intense fear of collective annihilation," said a medic who lives in the area and gave his name as Abu al-Abbas. Aleppo has become the most pressing battle in Syria's war, pitting President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia, Iran and Shi'ite militias, against mostly Sunni rebel groups including some supported by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said warplanes pounded eastern Aleppo districts overnight, killing at least 18 people, including 12 in al-Shaar district near the new front line. Syrian state news agency SANA said on Monday that rebel shelling had killed seven people in government-held districts of the city.

Source: Egypt Independent November 29, 2016 14:33 UTC