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| Syria conflict: Army fire 'cuts key Aleppo road' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Syrian government forces have effectively cut the only road into rebel-held areas of the city of Aleppo, a monitoring group and rebels say. | |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops had advanced to within 1km (0.6 miles) of the Castello Road, within range of their light weapons. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops had advanced to within 1km (0.6 miles) of the Castello Road, within range of their light weapons. |
| Rebels said that meant no-one could now get into or out of the east of the city, home to up to 300,000 people. | Rebels said that meant no-one could now get into or out of the east of the city, home to up to 300,000 people. |
| The assault came hours after the government declared a 72-hour truce. | The assault came hours after the government declared a 72-hour truce. |
| Aleppo, once Syria's commercial and industrial hub, has been divided in roughly two since 2012, with the government controlling the western half and rebel factions holding the east. | |
| The Syrian Observatory, a UK-based group that monitors the five-year conflict through a network of sources, said clashes between government forces and Islamist rebels had erupted around north-western Aleppo after midnight. | The Syrian Observatory, a UK-based group that monitors the five-year conflict through a network of sources, said clashes between government forces and Islamist rebels had erupted around north-western Aleppo after midnight. |
| With extensive air support, government troops and allied militiamen subsequently moved into the al-Malah Farms area and took control of a mosque complex that overlooks the Castello Road, it added. | With extensive air support, government troops and allied militiamen subsequently moved into the al-Malah Farms area and took control of a mosque complex that overlooks the Castello Road, it added. |
| The advance meant the road was within range of their medium and light weapons, according to the Syrian Observatory. | The advance meant the road was within range of their medium and light weapons, according to the Syrian Observatory. |
| "Currently nobody can get in or out of Aleppo," Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told the Reuters news agency. | |
| Heavy air strikes and artillery bombardment had made the Castello Road very difficult to travel in recent weeks, but now it was easier for government forces to target vehicles using it, he said. | Heavy air strikes and artillery bombardment had made the Castello Road very difficult to travel in recent weeks, but now it was easier for government forces to target vehicles using it, he said. |
| "[The road] was not risk-free, but now there is not a matter of danger, now the road is cut," he added. | "[The road] was not risk-free, but now there is not a matter of danger, now the road is cut," he added. |
| Another rebel fighter told Reuters: "All the factions sent reinforcements and are trying to take back the positions taken by the regime, but the situation is very bad." | |
| 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. | 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. |
| The Syrian war and Aleppo | The Syrian war and Aleppo |
| March 2011: Anti-government protests erupt across Syria, but Aleppo is initially untouched as a result of a state crackdown | March 2011: Anti-government protests erupt across Syria, but Aleppo is initially untouched as a result of a state crackdown |
| February 2012: As the rebellion turns into a conflict, clashes between rebels and the government are reported with increasing frequency in Aleppo province | February 2012: As the rebellion turns into a conflict, clashes between rebels and the government are reported with increasing frequency in Aleppo province |
| July 2012: The battle for Aleppo begins. Rebels make swift advances, but are unable to consolidate their gains and the city becomes divided | July 2012: The battle for Aleppo begins. Rebels make swift advances, but are unable to consolidate their gains and the city becomes divided |
| 2013: The government begins bombarding rebel districts with barrel bombs, causing thousands of casualties | 2013: The government begins bombarding rebel districts with barrel bombs, causing thousands of casualties |
| September 2015: Syria launches a fresh offensive in the wake of Russia's intervention in the conflict | September 2015: Syria launches a fresh offensive in the wake of Russia's intervention in the conflict |
| February 2016: The government captures towns north-west of Aleppo, threatening to encircle the rebel-held area of the city | February 2016: The government captures towns north-west of Aleppo, threatening to encircle the rebel-held area of the city |