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Syrian Rebels in Failed Bid to Reopen Aleppo Route

Jaysh al-Islam said four of its fighters had been killed in the fighting, while the Syrian Observatory said rebel fire on the government-held Saif al-Dawla district had left three people dead, the AFP news agency reported.

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Rebel shelling into government-held parts of Syria’s second city Aleppo killed at least 38 civilians on Saturday, a war monitor said, as Syrian government forces continued their offensive to completely encircle rebel-held parts of the city.

Then by Saturday, the Syrian regime forces imposed full control over the Castello Road, putting rebels under heavy siege.

Rebels said they were fighting to retake lost positions and secure the road again.

The truce extension comes as the Syrian army has been making fresh gains against foreign-sponsored terrorists.

Rebel Nour al-Din Zinky group said on its Facebook page that government warplanes and artillery shelled the Mallah farms close to the road.

We review the key developments in Syria, including ongoing violence during the temporary nationwide cease-fire, Russian Federation and the USA agreeing to increased military coordination and Syrian army forces cutting the only road into Aleppo.

The Syrian army and the Russian military, which also backs president Bashar al Assad, have periodically announced a number of temporary localized truces in areas of intense fighting.

The only way into rebel-held parts of Aleppo has been cut by a Syrian government advance that put the road within firing range, two rebel sources and a group monitoring the conflict say.

Russian forces have also aided Syria’s government in attempting to crush militants of the Islamic State in the country, as have a USA -led coalition.

More than 280,000 people have been killed in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, starting with peaceful protests that swiftly escalated into an armed rebellion increasingly dominated by jihadist groups.

It was not clear whether cease-fire included areas under Al-Nusra control.

It said it provides food aid to 75,000 people there, among an estimated population of 300,000-400,000 in the rebel-held sections.

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Last month, Assad’s allies in the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said they would send more fighters to the Aleppo area.

Fierce fighting for key Aleppo road despite Syria truce