The Observatory said that although the militants outside the city did reach rebel-held neighborhoods of eastern Aleppo, civilians still don’t have a safe route to leave because of intense airstrikes and shelling in the area.
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Taking control of Ramousah and linking up with eastern Aleppo would isolate government-held western Aleppo by cutting the southern route out toward the capital Damascus.
Meanwhile, almost all of the strategic northern city of Manbij, in Aleppo province, has been seized by US-backed militias after a more than a two-months’ long offensive against ISIS militants, the observatory and a military official said.
Emboldened by the victory, the fighters – largely grouped under the banner of the Army of Conquest – have set their sights on recapturing all of Aleppo city.
State television said the Syrian air force was carrying out air strikes around the military academy buildings seized by opposition forces.
Al-Abdah said emergency plans were in place to work with local councils in eastern Aleppo to deliver basic services to the area, which the United Nations has warned faced a humanitarian disaster under the government siege.
“Despite the overwhelming force of the Assad regime, Russian, Iran and Hezbollah on one side, neither side will be able to win a swift or decisive victory in the battle for Aleppo”, she added.
“We are trying our best to push all these foreigners out of our land so our people live in peace and tranquility”, said Abdeh.
“This is the new route that the regime forces are securing as a temporary alternative to the route they previously depended on”, Abdel Rahman said.
Rebel fighters in Syria have broken a government siege of the crucial northern city of Aleppo by opening a corridor between opposition-held territory in the east and to the west of the city, according to a monitoring group, rebel groups and humanitarian sources.
The bombers, which flew from Russian Federation, killed many IS militants and destroyed some command posts and heavy weapons, the ministry said on its Facebook page. Air strikes on Aleppo are reported to be continuing on Monday.
Fighters from a coalition of Islamist rebel groups called “Jaish al Fateh” announced the start of a new phase to liberate the whole of Aleppo, saying it pledged to increased the numbers of fighters for the battle it said will only end by hoisting their flag on the ancient Aleppo citadel in government hands.
“People are impressed that in spite of all the airstrikes by the regime and the Russians, they managed to take territory and break the siege”, Masri said.
For the rebels, and especially jihadist groups, keeping the uprising in Aleppo alive is critical.
Aleppo, Syria’s pre-war economic hub, has been divided since 2012 between a government-held western half and eastern neighborhoods under rebel control.
Although the Army of Conquest Alliance advance has allowed its units to make contact through Ramouseh with eastern Aleppo, it hasn’t broken the siege entirely because the area captured is under constant air attack.
In doing so, the rebels could reverse the situation in Syria’s largest city.
Fateh al-Sham Front – which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after breaking off ties with Al-Qaeda – leads the Army of Conquest, which has played a major role in the fight for Aleppo.
Residents of both sides of Aleppo have been living in fear of competing sieges of their neighbourhoods in recent weeks.
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Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests against Assad’s rule but has since evolved into a brutal war that has drawn in world powers.
