Fierce regime Daesh clashes rattle Aleppo

(MENAFN- Arab News) BEIRUT: Fierce fighting raged Saturday between regime forces backed by Russian airstrikes and Daesh in northern Aleppo province a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 16 Daesh fighters had been killed in a failed attack on a regime position near the town of Al-Bab in the northeast of the province.
State television also reported that regime forces had repelled an assault.
Heavy fighting was ongoing on Saturday the monitor said with Russian warplanes carrying out strikes in the region between the regime-held Kweyris air base and Al-Bab.
The regime has advanced toward the town a Daesh bastion in recent days and is now within 10 km of it according to the Observatory.
That is the closest regime forces have come to the town since 2012.
The Britain-based monitor also said regime forces had taken a string of villages nearby.
Roughly 30 km south of the Turkish border Al-Bab fell into rebel hands in July 2012 and Daesh terrorists captured it in late 2013.
The various battles are intended in part to cut rebel supply lines into Aleppo city the provincial capital and Syria's second city.
The city itself is divided and regime forces are now hoping to effectively encircle the opposition-held east. 'Through its operations the army is trying to broaden its security zone around the city' and prevent rebels inside from receiving supplies and reinforcements from the suburbs a security source told AFP this week.
In addition to cutting rebel access to eastern Aleppo city the regime is hoping to sever areas controlled by Daesh in the province from its territory in neighboring Raqqa Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.
'If regime forces are able to reach the road that leads from Al-Bab to Aleppo they will be able to tighten the noose around the fighters and the civilians that transport oil from areas under Daesh control.'