Syrian government and allied troops pushed their way in a multi-pronged offensive into an area north of Aleppo city on Thursday, threatening a key rebel supply line and setting off intense clashes despite a day-old truce, pro-government fighters and opposition activists said.
The violence came a day after the Syrian government announced a three-day truce to coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
Video released by the government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media purportedly showed soldiers firing at opposition outposts.
Government forces and allied troops, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, have been mounting repeated attacks on the Castello road to close the only route to the opposition-held areas in Aleppo city.
If they succeed in closing the road off completely, the rebels could lose one of their most prized strongholds.
The government offensive secured control over the surrounding Mallah farms, leaving troops less than a mile (1.3 kilometers) away from Castello road, the military media arm of Hezbollah said.
In a statement, it said the advance was in retaliation for violations of the truce by armed groups. Syrian State TV declared that, “terrorists are violating the truce.”
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes were reported to the west and east of Castello.
S/SH 11
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