REUTERS
A rebel military command center that includes the newly formed group Islamist Jabhat Fatah al Sham, the former al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front and Ahrar al Sham said they had taken over army positions in the southwestern government-held parts of the city in the first few hours of launching the battle to break the siege imposed on rebel-held areas, as reported by Reuters.
The Syrian army confirmed on state media that rebels had waged an offensive but said its fighters pushed back insurgents from an air force artillery base and denied insurgents had captured the Hikma school.
