Syrian army thwarts massive rebel attack in Aleppo

The Syrian army has thwarted a large-scale offensive by several rebel groups on areas in the northern province of Aleppo, a military source told Xinhua on Sunday.

Several rebel groups launched a major attack on government-controlled areas in the southern countryside of Aleppo on Saturday night, a Syrian military source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

He said the attack and ensued battles continued till dawn Sunday, adding that the Syrian forces succeeded in repelling the attack after inflicting hefty losses among the assailants.

The source denied reports circulated on some Arab TVs about the militants' control of several towns in southern Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the oppositional Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that battles are still incessant between the Syrian army backed by Hezbollah against other militant groups, including the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, in several areas in southern Aleppo.

The UK-based watchdog group said the Syrian forces managed to repel the attacks and advance against the rebels.

The recent attack wasn't the first of such. Last week, the rebels in Aleppo also attempted to make a breakthrough in the battles against the Syrian army in some areas. The Syrian army then threatened to strike all those trying to attack military positions or civilian areas under government's control in Aleppo. Endit