Syrian state television said the Damascus government's air force took part in strikes against "terrorist strongholds" in Aleppo's Old City while Russia said it had struck ISIS and former Nusra Front sites elsewhere in Syria, without mentioning Aleppo.

Russia's Defence Ministry has said that Russian missile strikes did not hit the Syrian city of Aleppo according to Interfax news agency.

The ministry said Russian and Syrian jets had not bombed Aleppo for the last 28 days, Interfax reported.

The bombardment appeared to mark the end of a pause in strikes on targets inside the city declared by Syria's government and Russia on Oct 18.

The renewed violence in Aleppo will be closely followed in Washington where President-elect Donald Trump has signaled he intends to take a different approach to Syria from that of President Barack Obama, who has backed some rebel groups.

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose approach in Syria has been praised by the US president-elect, spoke by phone on Monday and agreed to "combine efforts to tackle international terrorism and extremism", the Kremlin said.

Aleppo has become the fiercest front in Syria's five-and-a-half-year war.  

SA - 12