Russian strikes, regime roll back rebel gains in Aleppo

Syrian regime forces bolstered by Russian air strikes recaptured territory overnight in the southwest suburbs of the battleground city of Aleppo, rolling back the short-lived gains of a rebel offensive.

Rebels and their jihadists allies launched an assault Sunday in a bid to ease a more than two-week government siege of opposition-held districts of the city.

But regime fighters have put up a fierce fightback, retaking several positions from beleaguered rebel forces, a monitor said yesterday.

The groups waging the offensive -- including fighters from Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate and the powerful Islamist Ahrar al-Sham -- have promised to end the government encirclement of eastern parts of Aleppo. They are seeking to capture Ramussa, a district in Aleppo's southwest suburbs, in a bid to cut off government forces and open a new route into the city for rebels.

But they have struggled to hold newly-acquired territory in the face of heavy Russian air strikes, the observatory said.

The Britain-based Observatory said more than 50 rebels and allied jihadists had been killed since the assault began, as well as dozens of regime troops. More than 40 civilians have been killed by shelling on government-held neighbourhoods since Sunday.

Syria's conflict has killed more than 280,000 people and drawn in world powers on both sides since it erupted in March 2011.

In Libya, pro-government forces, backed by US air strikes, fought to advance on Islamic State group jihadists in Sirte yesterday despite mines and snipers, a spokesman said.

GNA forces have been battling to oust jihadists from the town since May 12. They entered the city on June 9 and have pushed the jihadists out of the city's port, international airport, an air base and a hospital. But their advance has been slowed since then.

American war planes carried out seven strikes against IS positions in Sirte on Monday and Tuesday at the GNA's request. Issa did not say whether further strikes took place on Wednesday.

The loss of Sirte would be a major blow to the jihadists, who have faced a series of setbacks in Syria and Iraq. IS took over the city in June 2015, taking advantage of chaos after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.