People inspect the damage at a site after it was hit by shelling carried out by rebels at Syrian government-held areas of Aleppo, Syria, in this handout picture provided by SANA on July 11, 2016.
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Rebels say the east of Aleppo is now sealed off and the soldiers loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are within firing range of the thoroughfare.
“There is a need to adopt a new strategy to push the peace process by adopting a tougher policy against the regime’s violations against the Syrian people. before calling for a new round of negotiations”, the HNC statement said.
Government troops have advanced to within 1km of the Castello Road, and rebels say no-one can get in or out.
Maydaa served as a supply line to the militant-held East Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus.
A 72-hour ceasefire was announced by the Syrian army on Wednesday, but rebels and the Observatory said there had been little let-up in the violence.
Also on Thursday, government forces cut the only way into militant-held parts of Aleppo, severing the terrorists’ only lifeline from the city to the outside world.
“We very much welcome the Syrian Army declaration of the 72-hour period of quiet in celebration of and in honour of Eid”, Kerry said Wednesday.
The advance by pro-government forces in the al-Malah Farms area northwest of Aleppo brought them to within 1km of the Castello road, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Government airstrikes and shelling of rebel-held areas also resulted in civilian casualties.
Maydaa had been under the control of the powerful Jaish Al Islam rebel faction and was the group’s closest position to Dumeir military airport, where they are fighting to displace government forces.
The open-ended February “cessation of hostilities” truce, which was meant to smooth talks to end the war, was agreed with many opposition militias, but did not include the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front or ISIS.
More than 280,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
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Residents of rebel-held areas of Syria’s Aleppo on Saturday faced food and fuel shortages after a Syrian government advance cut the opposition’s last supply route into the city.
