Syrian army besieges key IS stronghold in northern Aleppo

Syrian army backed by the Lebanese Hezbollah group have besieged the Islamic State (IS) group's bastion city of al-Bab in northern province of Aleppo, near the Turkish borders, a monitor group reported on Monday.

After 20 days of a wide-scale military operation in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, the Syrian army succeeded to lay a siege on the city of al-Bab, the largest IS stronghold in the countryside of Aleppo, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The military operation has succeeded in isolating al-Bab from other IS-held areas in the northern city of al-Raqqa, which is the de facto capital of the terror-designated group, and the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, where the IS enjoys a significant control.

The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said the progress of the Syrian army came after the failure of the Turkish-backed rebels fighting under the umbrella of Euphrates Shield to control areas east of al-Bab, as Turkey was also eyeing the takeover of the city, to defeat the IS and cut the road in front of the growing Kurdish influence in northern Syria near the Turkish frontier.

This comes as the general command of the Syrian army announced recently that the Syrian forces made important progress against the IS in the countryside of Aleppo, capturing over 250 sq. km of towns, and controlling the road connecting al-Bab with Aleppo.

For the army, securing the southern rim of al-Bab will protect the southeastern edge of Aleppo city, against either the advance of IS, or the Turkish-backed rebels.

The Syrian army wrested full control over the entire city of Aleppo in December last year, poising for further military operations in the sprawling countryside of the province, with the help of Russian air force and ground fighters of Hezbollah and other Shiite groups. Endit