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'The Promised Battle': Syrian Army Begins Major Offensive Near Aleppo

© Sputnik / Go to the mediabankThe Syrian army has reportedly launched a large-scale offensive near the city of Aleppo
The Syrian army has reportedly launched a large-scale offensive near the city of Aleppo - Sputnik International
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The Syrian army has reportedly launched a large-scale offensive near the city of Aleppo.

Russian pilots of the Su-34 at the Hmeimim base in Syria. - Sputnik International
Russian Warplanes Have Destroyed 456 ISIL Targets in Syria Since Sept. 30
Friday saw a major offensive by the Syrian army south of Aleppo, a large-scale military operation.

A commercial and industrial hub near the border with Turkey, Aleppo was Syria's largest city before the beginning of a four-year armed conflict in the country.

The city is still home to at least two million people, and control of Aleppo is now reportedly divided between government and the militant forces.

"This is the promised battle", a source was quoted by Reuters as saying earlier on Friday. The source added that the land forces are mainly composed of Syrian troops, supported by the Russian Air Force.

The offensive comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country has made significant progress in its fight against the Islamic State group and is currently discussing anti-terrorist cooperation with several Arab nations and Israel.

"We were able to establish business contacts with Middle Eastern governments and are in discussion with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, and other countries attempting to establish mutual cooperation with the United States and Turkey," Putin said during a Commonwealth of Independent States meeting.

US President Barack Obama, left, gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin, third right, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, second right, and US Secretary of State John Kerry, right, look at him before a bilateral meeting at United Nations headquarters in New York, Monday, Sept. 28, 2015. - Sputnik International
Realizing Gravity of ISIL Threat, US Acquiesces to Russian Mission in Syria
The Syrian government's forces launched the offensive after Russia’s Sukhoi Su-25, Su-24M and Su-34 attack aircraft, with the support of Su-30 jets, commenced precision airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria on September 30, following a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, airstrikes have inflicted considerable damage to ISIL command and logistics networks, as well as to infrastructure used to equip suicide bombers.

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