For the first time since the civil war started more than a decade ago, “Aleppo city is out of control of Syrian regime forces”, he said.
The Observatory said Russian aircraft staged deadly strikes Sunday in support of the government.
It said at least five people were killed when “four Russian air strikes targeted the square near Aleppo university”.
Russian strikes also killed eight civilians, including two children and a woman, in the rebel bastion of Idlib, the Observatory said.
Idlib resident Umm Mohamed said she lost her daughter-in-law, who left behind five children, including a wounded little girl.
“We were sitting in the room and suddenly we heard the sound of an explosion, the walls fell on us,” she told AFP from hospital.
“From the dust, no one could see the others … I was with my son’s five children. Thank God their injuries were minor.”
