Syrian government and allied forces advanced north of Aleppo on Sunday, pressing their week-old offensive to take the insurgent-held, eastern part of the city after dozens of overnight air strikes.
The Syrian army told the armed groups to leave the area, offering safe passage and aid supplies.
The Syrian military began their push to take the whole of the divided city after a ceasefire collapsed last month.
An air campaign by the Syrian government and its allies was reinforced by a ground offensive targeting the besieged eastern half of the city where insurgents have been holding out.
The opposition UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Syrian military said the army and its allies had advanced south from the Handarat refugee camp north of Aleppo city, which they took earlier this week, taking the Kindi hospital and parts of the Shuqaif industrial area.
Air strikes and shelling continued on Sunday, the Observatory said.
The Observatory added that there was fierce fighting between armed groups and government forces all along the front line which cuts the city in two.
The Syrian army said on Sunday that outlawed gunmen should vacate east Aleppo and it would guarantee them safe passage and necessary aid.
“The army high command calls all armed fighters in the eastern neighborhood of Aleppo to leave these neighborhoods and let civilian residents live their normal lives,” the statement carried by state news agency SANA said.
Source: Agencies
