The rebels rely on holding key routes in northern Aleppo so that they have access to Turkey from where they can be resupplied.
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Shiite-dominated Iran is a staunch ally of Assad, sending Guards forces and military advisers to aid him against Sunni rebels seeking his overthrow.
As the operation in the west pushed ahead, Islamic State said its fighters had captured five villages in its northern offensive and killed more than 10 soldiers or militiamen.
It was not clear whether Gen Hamedani’s killing was related to that IS offensive.
He was killed near the city of Aleppo during his mission to provide consultations services to Syrian Islamic front forces against IS, IRGC’s official website said.
Daesh (ISIS) advanced in Aleppo, taking several villages and towns from rebel groups in the north of the Syrian province, a monitoring group said Friday. One of those groups, Liwa Suqour al-Jabal, said the Russian strikes destroyed their main weapons depot.
The group has also managed to seize a former army base known as the Infantry Academy, which was under the administration of the rebels for two years.
This news comes as the Russian cruise missiles are targeting Syria’s anti-government insurgents in the country. “All our cruise missiles hit their target”, spokesman General Igor Konashenkov said.
French Rafaele warplanes attacked an IS training camp in their stronghold of Raqqa overnight. France’s first strikes were carried out in late September. It was the second French strike on Syria, and Le Drian said “it will not be the last”.
Al-Mayadeen, a Lebanese media outlet seen as close to Iran, said he died in Aleppo.
The president also extended condolences to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Armed Forces, particularly the IRGC forces, and to all Iranians.
An Iranian state television report said he was killed while “carrying out an advisory mission”, and the official IRNA news agency read a statement by the Guard in which it blamed IS for his death. He reportedly played a major role in Iran’s 1980-88 war with Iraq.
Hamedani had been playing an “important role… reinforcing the front of Islamic resistance against the terrorists”, it added.
Hossein Hamedani was killed in the vicinity of Aleppo.
The Central Intelligence Agency has trained anti-Assad rebels in small numbers.
It says Moscow’s strategy of backing Assad would simply prolong the conflict.
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IS militants drove out rebels from the localities of Tall Qrah, Tall Soussin, Kafar Qares and the base of Madrasat al-Mushat, he said.
