Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia Help Syrian Army Advance near Aleppo

Reuters-October 17, 2015-Syrian troops advanced in their offensive to retake territory around the northern city of Aleppo Saturday, backed by Iranian troops and members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. A military source told Reuters that “hundreds” of support troops were involved.
The campaign around Aleppo, which the army launched on Friday, is one of several assaults it has waged against rebel fighters since Russian jets began carrying out airstrikes on September 30 in support of the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Control of the city, Syria’s largest before the civil war started in 2011, has been divided between government forces and various rebel groups since 2012.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the combined army retook three villages, with clashes resulting in the deaths of least 25 fighters. The Observatory also reported that troops are trying to advance to the east of Aleppo toward Kweires military airport, aiming to break a siege on the base by insurgents.