Syrian army close to cut rebel supply lines in Aleppo

The Syrian army overran a key town in the northern province of Aleppo on Tuesday, becoming close to break a siege on two Shiite towns surrounded by rebels, a military source told Xinhua.

The military forces have swept through the town of Hardatnain in the northern countryside of Aleppo, becoming around three kilometers away from the two Shiite towns of Nubul and Zahra, which have been besieged by militant groups for over a year.

The downfall of the town enables the army to break the rebel siege on the Nubul and Zahra, and will also expose key rebel supply lines from the Turkish border toward towns in northern Aleppo, the military source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The source added that the Syrian air force heavily struck the clashes site in northern Aleppo, to prevent the rebels from receiving aid through the Turkish borders, which is only 15 kilometers away from the town.

The army forces will have one small town ahead of them to reach Nubul and Zahra, said the source, adding that the capture of the town cuts the rebels road from northern Aleppo toward the city of Aleppo.

The source added that the militant groups are "dying" to get back to the town amid extremely heavy clashes in the vicinity of the town.

He added that the declaration of the recapture of the town could soon be made.

The Syrian army backed by Russian Air Force and fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah group have recently unleashed simultaneous attacks in Aleppo countryside and the coastal city of Latakia, all have borders with Turkey.

A military source in Latakia told Xinhua that the aim of the wide-scale offensive in Latakia is to close the borders with Turkey.

The crushing military offensives also aim to empower the government positions in the currently-underway negotiations in Geneva, observer said. Endit