Syria and Russia's joint offensives have killed 40 rebels in the northern province of Aleppo. An anonymous military source told Xinhua news agency the airstrikes and artillery shellings targeted a rebels' hideout near the town of Khan Touman in southern Aleppo on Thursday. 

The source said the rebels were bracing to attack the Syrian military positions near that area. The government army has fully besieged rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Rebels have launched several attacks over the past week, but the government siege is still in place.