Aleppo pounded by airstrikes after rebels break regime siege

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—After the Syrian regime siege on Aleppo was broken by a rebel counter-offensive these opposition forces came under air assaults of "unprecedented ferociousness" on Sunday by regime and supporting Russian warplanes. 

The strikes come after rebels went from being surrounded and cut off in the city’s east to cutting the main supply line into Aleppo’s regime-held west. Continued bombing by the regime and the Russians, however, means civilians in east Aleppo are still trapped and effectively still subject to siege conditions, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights conflict monitor reported.

Also continued airstrikes are stopping other anti-regime forces advancing from the west to connect up with these opposition forces in Aleppo. 

These efforts are being spearheaded by the Jaish al-Fatah, a coalition of Islamist groups opposed to the regime. They have announced the beginning of an operation aimed to seize all of Aleppo from the regime. 

Also over the weekend Russian warplanes were suspected of being behind other bombings across opposition areas in the Aleppo countryside as well as the city of Idlib, which Jaish al-Fatah has controlled since May 2015. 

The opposition in Aleppo has also, according to Reuters, said the regimes airstrikes are “of unprecedented ferociousness” and includes the use of “cluster and vacuum bombs.” Both outlawed munitions. 

Aside from Russian air support the Syrian military forces fighting these groups in Aleppo are also supported by Iranian militiamen and members of the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia.