Syrian Army Tighten Grip On Aleppo Amid Peace Doubts

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World leaders have admitted the likely success of a plan to cease “hostilities” in Syria within a week is roughly 50-50, as Syrian government forces continued to make important advances to tighten their grip around Aleppo. Government forces, backed by Russian air strikes and fighters loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on Saturday regained control of al-Tamoura town and several surrounding hills located in Aleppo’s northern suburbs, according to Syrian activists and the state news agency.

The offensive means that government forces are now closer to cutting off one of the main supply routes for Syrian rebels, who still control much of Aleppo city. Syrian state news agency, SANA, said: “Army units, in cooperation with supporting forces, restored security and stability to al-Tamoura village at the northern countryside of Aleppo”  Sami Kekhia, a Syrian activist on the Turkey-Syria border confirmed to Al Jazeera that al-Tamoura was captured, but said that rebels were fighting back in ongoing clashes.

The Syrian government launched a major offensive from the north of Aleppo and captured several strategically important towns earlier this month. The offensive has led to the displacement of more than 50,000 civilians from Aleppo, tens of thousands of whom have amassed in camps at the Turkish border.

Abu Thaer al-Halabi, who heads the media office at the rebel-controlled Aleppo local council, told Al Jazeera that most of Aleppo’s northern suburbs have been evacuated. “The humanitarian situation in Aleppo is horrible. We are running out of supplies and resources are very limited. People are fleeing their homes and heading north towards Turkey or west towards Idlib suburbs,” he said.

Aljazeera.