Syria army set for offensive to retake Aleppo: pro-regime daily
38 civilians dead in rebel, regime attacks in Syria’s Aleppo: monitor
At least 38 civilians were killed and dozens more wounded in fresh violence in Syria’s second city Aleppo on Thursday, a monitoring group said.
Rebel rocket and artillery fire on government-held neighborhoods killed 18 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Regime air strikes on rebel-held districts, including the heavily populated Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood, killed 20 civilians, the Britain-based group said.
leading Syrian pro-government newspaper meanwhile said on Thursday that the army is preparing a major offensive to recapture the whole of second city Aleppo and its surrounding province.
The editorial in Al-Watan came as fighting intensifies in and around the divided city despite a February ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States.
“Now is the time to launch the battle for the complete liberation of Aleppo,” the paper said.
“It’s no secret that the Syrian army has prepared this decisive battle with its allies. It will not take long to begin, nor to finish.”
