Alalam - Syria

Syria's military has gained control of 98 percent of eastern Aleppo, leaving only a tiny enclave packed with rebels.

The military statement Monday said pro-government forces have seized control of al-Fardous, one of the largest neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo, which has been held by the rebels since 2012.

Rami Abdurrahman, the head of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-run monitoring group, said the fighting is ongoing in the district.

Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes and pro-government from across the region launched a wide-scale offensive on eastern Aleppo earlier this month and are on the verge of driving the rebels from the city.

Doing so would hand Syrian army greatest victory against several terrorist group.

Clashes have continued in the Sheikh Saeed district of Aleppo even though the Syrian army has reduced its military action against the besieged rebel group.

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