HMEIMIM (Sputnik) — Earlier on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry called on the United States to work through various channels to prevent the concentration of Nusra Front militants around Aleppo. The Russian General Staff said that some 9,500 militants are present around Aleppo in preparation for a major offensive.
"The al-Nusra Front seeks to aggravate the humanitarian situation in Aleppo by establishing control over the road linking Aleppo with Homs," commander of the center, Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko said on Monday.
Over the past week, the al-Nusra Front has transferred over 1,500 fighters to the vicinity of Aleppo from other areas of the country, Kuralenko added, noting that the militants have been grouping mainly to the south and to the southwest of the city.
A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It does not apply to terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia.
