The fresh army wide operation called "North Storm," has started at dawn Saturday, aims to remove the armed militant groups from the countryside of Aleppo, al-Alam reported.

The Syrian army has also advanced toward the towns of Hraitan, Kafr Hamra, and Atareb.

The security forces also cut off two routes that constitute a key supply line for the foreign backed rebels at the Andan town.

In other development, Syrian army has repulsed the militants’ assault to seize the Minnigh airbase in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported on Monday.

"Troops from our heroic army stopped terrorist groups from assaulting the Minnigh army airbase," the news agency said.

Government troops "stopped terrorists from assaulting the airbase through its eastern and western sides" and captured a rocket launcher and heavy machineguns, it added.

Fierce clashes have raged in the airbase since dawn Sunday.

Militant groups have been trying to capture Minnigh for months, as part of a strategy to deny the Syrian army of using of air power across Aleppo province.

The fighting at the air base comes after the Damascus government sent troop reinforcements to Aleppo province, buoyed by the recapture of the strategic central town of Qusayr last week.