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| Aleppo battle: Syrian troops push deeper into rebel-held east | Aleppo battle: Syrian troops push deeper into rebel-held east |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Syrian government forces are reported to have recaptured more parts of besieged, rebel-held eastern Aleppo, as they continue a large-scale offensive. | Syrian government forces are reported to have recaptured more parts of besieged, rebel-held eastern Aleppo, as they continue a large-scale offensive. |
| A monitoring group said troops had seized control of Qadi Askar and Karm al-Qaterji, hours after Karm Myassar and Karm al-Tahan were retaken. | A monitoring group said troops had seized control of Qadi Askar and Karm al-Qaterji, hours after Karm Myassar and Karm al-Tahan were retaken. |
| A rebel official said the key district of Shaar was also "considered fallen". | A rebel official said the key district of Shaar was also "considered fallen". |
| If confirmed, that would mean the government had recaptured about 70% of eastern Aleppo in just over a week. | If confirmed, that would mean the government had recaptured about 70% of eastern Aleppo in just over a week. |
| The UN estimates that almost 30,000 civilians have been displaced by the fighting. | |
| More than 100,000 others may be under siege in districts still under rebel control, where food supplies are exhausted and there are no functioning hospitals. | More than 100,000 others may be under siege in districts still under rebel control, where food supplies are exhausted and there are no functioning hospitals. |
| The government's ally, Russia, is confident that it can reach a deal with the US, which backs the opposition, that would lead to the withdrawal of rebel fighters. | The government's ally, Russia, is confident that it can reach a deal with the US, which backs the opposition, that would lead to the withdrawal of rebel fighters. |
| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference that talks would start in Geneva on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, and that a UN resolution demanding a temporary ceasefire, due to be voted on at the world body on Monday, would be counterproductive. | |
| Meanwhile, a second Russian fighter jet has crashed while trying to land on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. It follows a similar incident last month. The pilots in both cases ejected safely. | |
| The Admiral Kuznetsov is part of a group of Russian warships deployed near the Syrian coast. | |
| Aleppo was once Syria's largest city and its commercial and industrial hub before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. | Aleppo was once Syria's largest city and its commercial and industrial hub before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. |
| It has been divided in roughly two for the past four years. But in the past 11 months, Syrian troops have broken the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes. | It has been divided in roughly two for the past four years. But in the past 11 months, Syrian troops have broken the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes. |
| In early September they reinstated a siege of the east, and launched a ground assault later that month accompanied by an aerial bombardment of unprecedented scale and intensity. | In early September they reinstated a siege of the east, and launched a ground assault later that month accompanied by an aerial bombardment of unprecedented scale and intensity. |
| On Sunday evening, the official Sana news agency cited a Syrian military source as saying that army units had retaken control of Karm Myassar and Karm al-Tahan, and entered Qadi Askar. | On Sunday evening, the official Sana news agency cited a Syrian military source as saying that army units had retaken control of Karm Myassar and Karm al-Tahan, and entered Qadi Askar. |
| Troops push deeper into rebel-held Aleppo | |
| By Monday morning, they had taken full control of Qadi Askar and Karm al-Qaterji, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. | |
| The UK-based monitoring group said the advances had left the key district of Shaar effectively encircled, and that troops had already taken some positions. | The UK-based monitoring group said the advances had left the key district of Shaar effectively encircled, and that troops had already taken some positions. |
| It reported ongoing heavy clashes there, but an official with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group told the Reuters news agency that Shaar and nearby Karm al-Jabal had effectively fallen since government forces now controlled access to them. | It reported ongoing heavy clashes there, but an official with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group told the Reuters news agency that Shaar and nearby Karm al-Jabal had effectively fallen since government forces now controlled access to them. |
| Other rebel-held areas also came under intense bombardment. | Other rebel-held areas also came under intense bombardment. |
| A correspondent for the AFP news agency said terrified residents were turning off all their lights at night-time and taking shelter in basements or entrances to buildings in the hope of remaining safe. | A correspondent for the AFP news agency said terrified residents were turning off all their lights at night-time and taking shelter in basements or entrances to buildings in the hope of remaining safe. |
| The Syrian Observatory says at least 319 people have been killed in rebel-held areas since the government's offensive was stepped up on 15 November, after the expiry of a three-week pause in air strikes declared by the government and its ally Russia to allow civilians and rebels to leave. | The Syrian Observatory says at least 319 people have been killed in rebel-held areas since the government's offensive was stepped up on 15 November, after the expiry of a three-week pause in air strikes declared by the government and its ally Russia to allow civilians and rebels to leave. |
| Rebel fire on government-controlled western Aleppo has reportedly killed 69 people in the same period. Sana reported that two people were killed on Monday. | Rebel fire on government-controlled western Aleppo has reportedly killed 69 people in the same period. Sana reported that two people were killed on Monday. |
| On Sunday, Russian and Syrian government air strikes killed at least 73 people in rebel-held areas of the province of Idlib, south-west of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory. Thirty-eight died in the town of Maarat al-Numan, it said. | On Sunday, Russian and Syrian government air strikes killed at least 73 people in rebel-held areas of the province of Idlib, south-west of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory. Thirty-eight died in the town of Maarat al-Numan, it said. |