Damascus, Dec 1 (IANS): UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, on Sunday urged an immediate cessation of hostilities in northwestern Syria's Aleppo and dialogue among relevant parties.

The recent escalation of violence in Aleppo starting from Wednesday has "resulted in the tragic loss of innocent civilian lives, including women and children, damage to civilian infrastructure, and the suspension of critical services," Abdelmoula said in a statement.

It came "at a time when countless people, many of whom have already endured the trauma of displacement, are now forced to flee once more, leaving behind their homes and livelihoods," he added as reported by Xinhua news agency.

"We urge all conflicting parties to immediately cease hostilities and prioritise the protection of civilians and aid workers," he said, adding, "The people of Syria must not endure more suffering, and we urge dialogue to be given an opportunity."

Before the recent influx of more than half a million returnees and refugees from Lebanon, there were more than 16.7 million people in Syria in need of humanitarian assistance, he noted.

Due to this latest violence, "even more lives now need to be urgently saved," he said.

The UN official reaffirmed the humanitarian community's commitment to delivering lifesaving assistance to the affected population.

On Wednesday, a major rebel offensive rocked the western countryside of Aleppo, the first significant attack since 2016.

The assault was carried out by a coalition of rebel groups, mainly the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaida-linked extremist organisation, to penetrate government-held territories.

On Friday, the rebels swept into parts of Aleppo after they were driven out of the city in 2016.

On Saturday, they advanced in Hama province in central Syria and took control of numerous towns and villages in the northern part of the province, after capturing key territories in Aleppo and Idlib.

Faced with overwhelming numbers of militants and multiple attacks, the Syrian army announced a temporary redeployment of its forces.

Syria's state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported on Sunday that the government forces launched a counteroffensive in the northern countryside of Hama, reclaiming key areas from the rebel groups.