Syrian rebels reverse government gains in Aleppo stalemate


              In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows members of Civil Defense removing a dead body from under the rubble after airstrikes hit in Aleppo, Syria, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016. Syrian government forces captured a rebel-held area on the edge of Aleppo on Saturday, tightening their siege on opposition-held neighborhoods in the northern city as an ongoing wave of airstrikes destroyed more buildings. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)
In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows members of Civil Defense removing a dead body from under the rubble after airstrikes hit in Aleppo, Syria, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016. Syrian government forces captured a rebel-held area on the edge of Aleppo on Saturday, tightening their siege on opposition-held neighborhoods in the northern city as an ongoing wave of airstrikes destroyed more buildings. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

BEIRUT (AP) - A monitoring group says Syrian rebels have retaken an area in Aleppo that fell to government forces the day before, extending a punishing stalemate in the contested northern city.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which maintains a network of local contacts, says rebels seized Handarat, a largely uninhabited Palestinian refugee camp, early Sunday.

The area is near Castello Road, a vital supply route to the city's besieged rebel-held areas. Government forces seized the Castello Road earlier this year, besieging rebel-held districts where some 250,000 people reside.

Yasser al-Yousef, a spokesman for the Nour el-Din al-Zinki rebel faction, says rebels seized Handarat late Saturday.

The Observatory says 213 civilians have been killed by airstrikes and shelling on rebel-held areas in and around Aleppo since a cease-fire expired Monday.

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