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Syrian army gears up for offensive against another rebel bastion

Xinhua, February 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Syrian army has become only 13 km from Turkish borders, following the sweeping progress against militant groups in the northern countryside of the northern province of Aleppo, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported on Sunday.

After capturing the towns of Ratyan and Mayer a couple of days ago, the Syrian army is moving forward toward the strategic town of Tal Rifat, another rebel bastion on the borders with Turkey.

The army is only seven km from Tal Rifat, said the report, adding that over 300 militants with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front had been killed during the recent battles in Mayer and Ratyan, both constitutes weapon depots and key supply lines for the rebel from neighboring Turkey.

The Syrian army's wide-scale offensive in Aleppo aims at cutting the rebels supply lines from Turkey and separate the northern countryside of Aleppo from its city to further isolate the rebels, as a step to retake Aleppo, Syria's largest city.

The military forces' campaign in Aleppo is taking place with the backing of the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah group and heavy Russian air cover, both key elements behind the sweeping advance of the Syrian army against the Turkey-backed militants in Aleppo. Endit