Syrian rebel commander says northern Aleppo countryside 'totally encircled'
BEIRUT - The commander of a US-supported Syrian rebel group said on Friday the northern countryside of Aleppo province was completely encircled by Syrian government forces and its allies and heavy Russian bombardment continued.
Syrian government troops and their allies broke through rebel defenses to reach two Shi'ite villages in northern Aleppo province on Wednesday, choking opposition supply lines from Turkey to Aleppo city.
The assault in northern Aleppo province, backed by hundreds of Russian air strikes there, has also prompted tens of thousands of people to flee towards the Turkish border and helped derail peace talks in Geneva.
Hassan Haj Ali, the head of a prominent Free Syrian Army group called Liwa Suqour al-Jabal that has received US military training in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, said the aerial bombardment continued.
"The Russian cover continues night and day, there were more than 250 air strikes on this area in one day," he told Reuters.
"The regime is now trying to expand the area it has taken control of," he said. "Now the northern countryside (of Aleppo province) is totally encircled, and the humanitarian situation is very difficult."
