More than 400 Syrian civilians have fled terrorist-held districts of eastern Aleppo for the government-controlled west as national military advances in the city, a monitor said Sunday.

The civilians fled overnight to the Masaken Hanano district and were taken to regime-controlled areas, the UK-based opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syrian state media said government forces had on Saturday captured Masaken Hanano, the largest terrorist-held district of Aleppo, in what would be a major breakthrough in the regime’s offensive to retake the entire city.

Fresh fighting broke out on Saturday night between Syrian army and allies, and armed groups in the neighbouring districts of Haidariya and Sakhur, said the Observatory.

Syrian army targeted the area with heavy shelling, said the Britain-based monitoring group.

Source: AFP