Insurgents breach Syria’s second-largest city Aleppo in shock offensive

Thousands of insurgents continued their advance on Friday toward Aleppo city, seizing several towns and villages along the way.

The offensive comes as Iran-linked groups, who have backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with the wider Middle East conflict engulfing Lebanon and Gaza.

“These are the areas that we are currently in the process of liberating: Mezanat, Dedraya, Kafr Halab, Sheikh Ali and the…