Beirut, June 17 (IANS): Rebels launched an offensive on Wednesday against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the northern province of Quneitra, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Efe news agency reported.

A major operation was initiated on Wednesday morning to take control of areas held by the Syrian authorities in the area, the Southern Front rebel group spokesman, Essam al-Rayes, announced on his Twitter account.

Al-Rayes said that the attack involved only moderate units of the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

He emphasised that the Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda, did not take part in the battle because "they do not share the same vision as the Southern Front for Syria".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that fighting took place on Wednesday in the areas of Hader and al-Telool al-Homr, north of Quneitra, and near the border with the province Damascus countryside (Reef Damashq), near the Syrian capital.

The opposition launched the offensive after advancing in recent weeks in the province of Deraa.

The Southern Front is the main rebel group in the southern regions of Syria, unites factions including the FSA and Ahrar al-Sham Islamic Movement, among others.

Syria has been the scene of conflict since March 2011, which has caused more than 220,000 deaths.