15 killed in missile attack in Syria

At least 15 persons were killed and nearly a hundred injured on Friday by missiles launched into Syria's western Aleppo -- an area controlled by government troops, a human rights monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR) said that rockets slammed into the districts of Al-Hamdaniya, Al-Meridian, Al-Furqan, Al-Azima, Al-Yamilia, Al-Mashriqa and Al-Fid, Efe news reported.

The firing of missiles on Friday coincides with an offensive by Islamic and rebel groups against southwestern areas of Aleppo.

The attack began with the explosion of three car bombs in the Dahiyat al-Assad area dominated by regime forces.

One vehicle was driven by a French suicide bomber of African origin and belonging to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.

The explosions were followed by clashes between the Syrian army and allied militias, including the former al-Nusra Front and other groups in Al-Rashidin and Project 1070 districts, as well as other parts of southwestern and western Aleppo.

In parallel, the regime has fired artillery targeting the neighbourhoods of Tariq al-Bab, Al-Sokhour and Masaken Hanano, east of Aleppo, besieged by the army and held by opposition forces.

--IANS

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