Syrian army gains ground against militants in Aleppo

According to the Syrian military, government forces recaptured the Mazra’at al-Halabi area and Madafeh Hill in Aleppo's eastern countryside on Monday.
 
Earlier, Syrian forces regained control of the nearby towns of Misilmieh and Jbeileh, killing a large number of militants.
 
This is while battles continue to rage on between foreign-backed militants and Syrian troops in the Jobar district near the capital, Damascus.
 
The foreign-backed militants have been holed up in several areas around the capital for more than two years now, and have launched frequent mortar attacks on Damascus from their strongholds.
 
In recent months, Syrian forces have managed to retake several militant-held areas around the capital.
 
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are reportedly supporting the militants operating in Syria.
 
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein has said that more than 200,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict since March 2011.