Syrian rebels fire mortar shells on Aleppo city

Damascus, Jan 23 (IANS) Dozens of mortar shells hit the northern Syrian city of Aleppo city, the latest in a series of rebels' mortar attacks on the city's residential areas.

The dozens of shells slammed several residential areas, caused injuries particularly among children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

State news agency SANA also reported the rebels' mortar attack on Aleppo, saying the attack took place when the streets were crowded.

A day earlier, three civilians were killed by a similar attack.

The rebels in the western countryside of Aleppo have intensified their mortar shelling recently as the Syrian government forces are preparing to launch a wide-scale offensive against the rebels in western Aleppo.

Aleppo city was liberated from the rebels in 2016, but the rebels have remained in position in the northern and western countryside of the city.