Putin and Assad team up to avenge Syrian rebel gains as barrel bombs rain down on Aleppo - It's Over 9000!

Putin and Assad team up to avenge Syrian rebel gains as barrel bombs rain down on Aleppo

Express

Syrians living in the war-ravaged city - the country's second largest - said bombs, sea mines and rockets were being fired into civilian areas in an act of savage retribution after the loss of territory to militia that includes al-Qaeda's former affiliate in Syria.

Fierce fighting and unrelenting Russian and Syrian air strikes have halted efforts to establish safe routes out of besieged east Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Vladimir Putin's jets intensified their bombing of rebel-held Aleppo countryside and also hit opposition held Idlib city in north western Syria.

Rebels released video footage that showed huge flames said to be caused by white phosphorus bombs dropped on the city.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants to take full control of Aleppo, pre-war Syria's most populous city, which has been divided between rebel and government-held areas.

He has the backing of the Russian government, Iranian militias and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah group .

But rebel groups made substantial gains over the weekend, including seizing one of the Syrian dictator's military compounds, threatening to change the balance of power in Aleppo.

As Russia end their military action in Syria, take a look through the 5 years of war against ISIS and terror in regions across Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of civilians were wounded in the raids on Idlib

The fall of Aleppo would be a major prize that would allow Assad to claim he had won the almost six-year war.

The cost of food in the city had quadrupled since major roads were severed, blocking supply routes and humanitarian charities are warning of an impending crisis.

Aid worker Christy Delafield said: "I'm hearing that the markets are closed and it's next to impossible to purchase food.

"The UN estimates that collectively all aid supplies in east Aleppo will only last about two more weeks."

US-backed forces claimed vicrory over Islamic State in the north of the country on Saturday when Manbij was taken from the jihadis, but there is still no end in sight for much of the country.

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