Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Nusra Front, said one of its fighters who carried out a suicide bombing against Syrian regime forces in the southern countryside of Aleppo on Tuesday was a Turkish citizen.
Nusra reported on social media that Younis al-Turkey blew himself up at an army checkpoint in the town of al-Eis in southern Aleppo, killing and wounding dozens. Turkish activists confirmed the identity of Younis, who is known to have fought on a number of frontlines in northern Syria.
Meanwhile, regime forces backed by Iranian troops edged closer to a major rebel-controlled highway south of Aleppo Tuesday, pushing further into rebel-held areas, supported by heavy Russian airstrikes, Reuters said.
After seizing a series of villages including Zitan, Humaira and Qalaajiya, the Syrian army said it had surged to the outskirts of Zirba and encircled the town of Khan Touman, an advance rebels said had left them outgunned from the air and ground.
The aim of Bashar al-Assad's forces appeared to be to sever the main Aleppo-Damascus highway, which fighters use to transport supplies from the rebel-held Idleb province to the north.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
