Al Nusra Front, Syrian rebels attack government forces

BEIRUT — Syrian rebels and Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Nusra Front have mounted an offensive against Syrian government forces and on Saturday took a strategic hill south of Aleppo from government control, a monitoring group said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the offensive began on Friday, and Syrian government and allied forces were fighting to take back control of the territory and repel further attacks.

A fragile "cessation of hostilities" truce has held in Syria for over a month as the various parties try to negotiate an end to Syria's five-year-old civil war.

But the truce excludes Daesh and Al Nusra Front, and air and land attacks by Syrian and allied forces continue in parts of Syria where the government says the groups are present.

Friday's attack began with three suicide bombings carried out by Al Nusra Front south of Talat Al Iss hill. Rebel and Al Nusra Front forces then took control of the hill, the observatory and an Al Nusra Front statement said.

Al Nusra Front said in the statement it ambushed government forces as they withdrew towards the town of Hadhar to the east.

The observatory said the fighting has so far killed dozens of regime forces and at least 16 rebels and Al Nusra Front members.