Assad preparing for massacre in Aleppo, fears US

Damascus - A fierce arms fight is expected between President Bashar al-Assad’s troops and rebels in order to win the key cities of Aleppo and Damascus.

As the Syrian forces bombed Aleppo on Friday, the US said it fears that the Assad regime may carry out a massacre in the city. However, it categorically said that there will be no US military intervention.

Reports claimed the latest assault has led to 121deaths that includes civilians, rebels and the forces.
 
The US said that deployment of tank columns moving towards Aleppo, Russian MI-25 helicopter gunships striking al-Sakhour in the east with rockets and carrying out airstrikes with fixed-wing aircraft indicate that Assad is all set for perpetrating another massacre.

The rebels have also reinforced themselves and around 1000-2000 more have joined the fight. Last week the rebels launched an all-out assault to overrun Aleppo, a move analysts say is aimed at establishing a bastion close to the rebel military headquarters in neighbouring Turkey.
 
The UN Security Council on July 20 unanimously agreed to extend the UN monitoring mission in Syria for 30 days, agreeing to consider further extension only if the government and rebels there cease the use of heavy weapons and stop violence.

The 15-nation Council voted to adopt the British-drafted resolution a day after permanent members Russia and China vetoed another resolution that would have threatened President Bashar al-Assad's regime with sanctions if Syrian authorities did not stop using heavy weapons and withdrew troops from towns and cities within 10 days.

The UN had recently suspended its regular patrols due to the escalating violence in the country, where over 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against Assad began 16 months ago.

According to UN’s registration statistics on July 18, 120,000 Syrian refugees sought protection in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.