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SYRIAN REBELS SAY they have broken a three-week government siege of second city Aleppo, turning the tables on Russian-backed regime forces who are now on the defensive.
To the northeast, a Western-backed alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters scored a major victory against the Islamic State group in the town of Manbij after a fierce two-month battle.
The developments have rocked the key northern province of Aleppo, a microcosm of Syria’s chaotic multi-front war that has killed more than 280,000 people.
Rebel and regime forces have fought for control of the provincial capital since mid-2012, transforming the former economic powerhouse into a divided, bombed-out city.
Opposition fighters, Islamists and jihadists have waged fierce assaults since July 31 to end the siege by government forces of some 250,000 people in Aleppo’s eastern districts.
Rebel groups successfully broke the siege by opening a new route into the city from the southwest, opposition officials said.
“Rebels break Aleppo’s siege,” tweeted the Istanbul-based opposition National Coalition.
Ramussa
Islamist faction Ahrar al-Sham said rebels had seized control of Ramussa on the southwestern edges of the city and thereby “opened the route to Aleppo”.
But state television said late Saturday the army had regained control of several key points in a military complex south of Aleppo that rebels overran earlier.
“Our armed forces took control of the part of the artillery school that had been seized by terrorists… while (rebel) groups withdrew from points in the armament school,” it said, quoting a military source.
Al-Manar, the television station of the Lebanese group Hezbollah which is fighting alongside Syrian government forces, denied that Ramussa had fallen or that the siege had been broken.
The battle south of Aleppo has been accompanied by media campaigns often publishing conflicting information.
‘A good omen’
Riad Hijab, head of the broad opposition body the High Negotiations Committee, tweeted: “The liberation of Ramussa and the breaking of the siege are a good omen for Syria’s revolution.”
An AFP journalist in eastern Aleppo city said residents were on the streets and shooting celebratory gunfire into the air.
“Days ago, I was only thinking about how to get a bite to eat,” said Ahmad Adna, a 46-year-old resident of eastern Aleppo.
“Now I’m more optimistic after the (rebel) Army of Conquest’s advance. I hope today will be the last day of the siege.”
- © AFP 2016.
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Aengus Ó Snodaigh should be jailed for what he did, any other employee in the state who did what he has done would be fired and charged……. When are these people going to remember, or for that matter reminded, that they work for us, are answerable to us and will pay a price for their behavious
I am not condoning what he did for one second but if he should get jail in my opinion there are one or two who should be hung, drawn and quartered. Nuff said
It was excessive and he shouldn’t of taken advantage but the bankers and ff have done worse to this country than what he’s done!! Brown envelopes, trips abroad, excessive claims on houses etc, you can’t said he should be jailed when Bertie and all his cronies are still walking around!!
Jail for hitting the printer too hard? Are you mad? We’re all turning into soapbox corner ranters around here.
Any other country he would have resigned, But This is Ireland
WOW, unbelievable … If you stole 50,000 worth of anything from your employer… you’d be in jail… Aren’t our politician supposed to be held to a higher account….. Some of the responses here remind me of the old saying ” you get the politicians you truly deserve”
@ Sandra…. Oh ok, so on your basis of belief the Paedophile priest that raped 2 boys shouldn’t be charged as he raped far less boys that the others…. A zero tolerance approach is needed by those that we put in power
@ Brian – I think people are in general agreement with you that if you stole €50,000 worth of anything from your employer you’d be in jail, up the steps before your feet could touch the ground. The point I can see people making is that there are far, far, far worse in the Dail than him. They all overclaim on their expenses (apart from that one who doesn’t claim anything, can’t remember his name), they are responsible for the country being in the mess it’s in. Yet none of them are held accountable. And never will in my opinion. That is what needs to change. They need to each be held accountable for their actions and frauds. The only way that change will come in is if the politicians themselves change it. But they’re not going to vote for performance checks on themselves, or the expenses reduced and have to vouch for what they claim. And have their gravy train stopped a few stations earlier? Not a chance.
This is Ireland, everyone knows once you are Elected you can do what you want !!!!!!!!! And if Aengus didnt print those chinese menus, people would have taken to the streets !!!!!!!
It wasn’t illegal what he did. If it was he would of been arrested and charged.
It was stupid but not illegal and he only way for him to get his comeuppance is to be fired at the next election.
Ligal or illegal This is Ireland and we all know once you are Elected you are above the law because time and time again we see this crap and nobody gets in trouble for it ! Expenses, Mistakes or Stealing is expected once you are elected !!!!!!!
My sympathies go to the families of those poor children and adults who were killed in the crash in Switzerland. May they rest in peace.
I thought a cosmonaut was a biscuit , mmmmmmmmmmm cos-mo-naut .
Why jail him for using too much ink? What about the bankers and the politicians who ruined the country through greed, corruption and downright negligence? Start with them and see if there is any room left in prisons?
When you don’t address the wrong doings of our politicians, you give others leeway to do as they please…. Bankers, developers etc…… Not taking on Haughey and his cronies has lead us to where we are today
Don’t want to sound like one of the Corrs but I starting to think more and more that no one has been to the moon. I mean USA is going there in 2018 Russia in 2030, you would swear they had to invent the technology to get there.
*I’m
They don’t have to invent the technology just the reason to want to go. The last time was ideological east versus west. This time probably more political. It gives whoevere is in power a boost in the polls when they mention space travel.
Maybe if the scabby feckers who make ink cartridges put more actual ink into their product he wouldn’t have needed to use 50,000 of them?
Until you put Bertie behind bar’s then calling for any other politician to be jailed is just not going to wash.
Why no article on the Revenue defaulters list published yesterday? Civil servants are vilified on this site on a regular basis but when almost €130m is collected in three months (by civil servants) from private sector tax cheats, there’s not a mention of it.
Ben, they are being paid to collect the taxes in the first place, for having that amount outstanding at any stage several should be fired….. So let congratulate them for collecting, late, what they are paid to collect on time…
I’m not talking about arrears of tax. I’m talking about €130m being collected by audit/investigation. There’s a big difference Brian
all politicians should be made to account for all expenditure that is not reasonable
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