Damascus, Nov 27 (IANS): The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group and allied factions launched a major attack on Syrian military positions in western Aleppo on Wednesday, a war monitor reported.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, HTS and factions from the al-Fatah al-Mubin operations room advanced in western rural Aleppo, seizing control of strategic points in Qubtan al-Jabal and Sheikh Aqil near the 46th Regiment.

The attack was marked by intense exchanges of artillery and rocket fire between government forces and HTS-aligned factions.

Syrian government forces shelled the rear positions of the factions around the city of Atarib, Darat Izza, and surrounding villages, the observatory said, adding that a Russian warplane also conducted airstrikes using vacuum missiles.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Tuesday, the western countryside of Aleppo witnessed a significant displacement of civilians from Atarib and nearby villages, driven by HTS military buildups near the front lines, according to the observatory.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly the Nusra Front, is considered a terrorist organization by Syria, Russia, and several other countries.