Syrian Army Encircles Militant-Controlled City of Aleppo: Source

The Syrian Army took control over new strategic points with the aim of encircling militants occupying the city of Aleppo, according to a source in the Syrian Army.

DAMASCUS/BEIRUT, December 15 (Sputnik) — Syrian government forces have encircled the country's northwestern city of Aleppo, currently controlled by anti-government militants, a source in the Syrian Army told Sputnik.

"The Syrian Army has advanced in the north-east of Aleppo and has taken control over new strategic points with the aim of encircling militants occupying the city," the source said.

The source added that government forces "have cut the eastern blocks of the city from the northern suburb, which borders Turkey, and where the militants come from."

Earlier, various media sources reported that extremists are entering Syria from Turkey. However, Turkish authorities have continually denied this.

The Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra are two Islamic terrorist groups that control Aleppo along with other groups of anti-government rebels. Sputnik's source has confirmed that many extremists have been killed during the military operation.

In October, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said that the ceasefire in Aleppo could contribute to the peaceful settlement across all Syria, which has been mired in an internal conflict since 2011. Syria's civil war has claimed nearly 200,000 lives, according to UN estimates.