In a message directed to the UN's Secretary General and Security Council head, the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry reported the attacks came from "moderate" opposition groups that were joining the Al-Nusra Front and its affiliates in Aleppo, Syria. According to the Center on Saturday, one of the opposition groups, Ahram al-Sham, joined the Al-Nusra Front for an attack against Kurdish militias, which effectively forced Kurds to retreat from their positions in the city on Saturday.

The militants' reported new offensive took place in a cessation of Russian and Syrian warplane activity beginning over a week earlier, which enabled the militants to regroup. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the cessation was meant to permit groups coordinating with the United States and Russia to separate themselves from the the Al-Nusra Front.

However, Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said on television that the United States had requested Russia avoid targeting the Al-Nusra Front, which has affiliations with al-Qaeda. In response, a US State Department spokesperson stated on Friday that the request was to avoid targeting civilians or legitimate opposition.

Source: Wikinews