Syrian Forces With Russian Backing Strike at Rebels, Despite Truce

This article was originally published by the Wall Street Journal:

BEIRUT—Syrian government forces backed by Russian airstrikes pushed to make strategic gains on Wednesday, intensifying attacks on rebels and other groups the day after the U.N. set a date next week for the resumption of peace talks.

Still, neither the Syrian government nor opposition formally indicated on Wednesday that either saw the increasing violence as jeopardizing the truce in place since Saturday. Both sides appeared wary of playing the spoiler in the first serious attempt to halt the bloodshed.

The stepped-up government offensive focused on hilltop towns in the northwestern province of Latakia and the countryside north of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

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