Russian and Syrian jets bombed rebel-held areas in northwest Syria on Thursday, targeting Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters near the Turkish border. The airstrikes follow a major rebel offensive that captured territory in northwest Aleppo for the first time in years.

Syrian rebel fighters broke through government front lines to within three miles of Aleppo and cut a key highway to the capital in their first major offensive in four years.The surprise push by jihadists of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allies sparked fighting that left scores dead and killed at least one Russian special forces soldier fighting on the government side.

In northwest Syria near the Turkish border, intense clashes erupted as Russian and Syrian forces bombed rebel-held areas to counter an insurgent offensive. The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham initiated the offensive in Aleppo province,

Scores of people were killed after forces opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad overtook a Syrian military base, a monitoring group reported.

Syrian rebels have launched their first major offensive in the country in four years, claiming to have beaten government forces back several miles and captured a dozen villages west of Aleppo.

Syrian government and opposition factions say Syrian armed groups have launched a large-scale attack on areas controlled by government forces, setting off fierce clashes for the second day

At least 18 people have been killed in fighting between Islamist rebels and Syrian government troops in north-west Syria, activists and a monitoring group said Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said members of Hayat Tahrir al Sham,