Syrian troops and allied militiamen blasted their way into two Shia villages in northern Syria on Wednesday, breaking a long-running rebel siege during a major offensive, Syrian TV reported. The Government advance angered the opposition, further undermining prospects for peace talks underway in Geneva. The two villages, Nubl and Zahra, are located in the middle of opposition territory.
They have been blockaded by rebel groups for around three years, with the Army occasionally airdropping food and other assistance. Their capture would mark a major victory for Government forces, which have made significant advances in Aleppo province in the past few days, severing a key supply route linking rebels in Aleppo city to the Turkish border.
Pro-government fighters continued their offensive north of Aleppo in an attempt to besiege rebel-held neighborhoods.