Syrian forces advance near Aleppo, new siege feared

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Syrian regime forces advanced near Aleppo on Sunday, taking over positions in the city and aiming to surround rebel neighborhoods and reimpose a siege.

"The Syrian army, supported by allied forces, has total control of the armaments academy and expanded the territory it controls in the military academies zone," Syria’s official  SANA news agency reported.

AFP reported heavy air bombing south of the city, where three military schools are located and the zone has seen intense fighting.

Government forces have already recaptured the air force academy and rebels "are now besieged in the artillery academy," AFP quoted a military source as saying.

Aleppo has remained divided since 2012, with regime forces in the west and rebel forces in the east.

Last July, Syrian regime forces circled Aleppo’s rebel-held east, imposing a siege that was lifted in early August after opposition forces reopened a corridor into rebel-held areas.