1st LD: Rebels fire poisonous gas in Aleppo, 15 affected

Rebels used poisonous gas in an attack on a Syrian military academy in the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, affecting 15 people, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The rebels used the poisonous gas in the attack on the Assad Military Academy in the Assad Suburb in western Aleppo, as part of a broad offensive they started on Friday against government positions in Aleppo.

The report spelled no further details about the material in use, but said the battles are raging neat the academy.

The rebels, including extremist groups, successfully infiltrated Assad Suburb on Friday, engaging in intense battles with the Syrian forces, in what was deemed as the most violent military confrontation in Aleppo since beginning of the conflict there.

The aim of the rebel offensive is to break the siege imposed by the government forces on rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo city.

The Syrian army has laid a siege on rebel-held areas in Aleppo in recent months, urging the rebels to surrender themselves or leave eastern Aleppo to other rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib.

The rebels didn't comply with the military repeated requests. Last week, a three-day truce, aiming to ease the evacuation of civilians and rebels who want to surrender in exchange for pardon, expired with a few civilians and rebels evacuating.

The Syrian government accused the rebels of preventing the civilians, around 250,000, from leaving.

Observers believe that Aleppo is going to be the decisive battle ground among the fighting groups, and the winner will be the one dictating its conditions to resolve the crisis, as the province contains all the groups that are supported by regional and international powers, with the civilians paying the price for this proxy war. Endit