MESOP TODAYS FLASH REPORT : BOMBED OUT OF SYRIA BY PUTIN / ALL ALEPPO

5 Feb 2016 – MESOP – The Assad regime’s offensive in Aleppo, backed by heavy bombing by Russian planes, is driving thousands of people to flee the city. The new surge in displaced persons has drawn concern from Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. “Now, 10,000 new refugees are waiting in front of the door of (the Turkish city of) Kilis because of air bombardments and attacks against Aleppo,” he said on Thursday in London. “Sixty to seventy thousand people in the camps in north Aleppo are moving towards Turkey. My mind is not now in London, but in our border — how to relocate these new people coming from Syria?”

The heavy fighting comes as regime and Russian forces work to cut off rebels based in Aleppo. The front escalated as peace talks took place in Geneva, during which time rebels say the United States pressured countries supplying arms to opposition groups to lessen their support. The offensive, which also relies heavily on Shia militias, has taken a toll on Iranian foreign fighters, as well. A brigadier general for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and at least six basij state security volunteers have been killed, according to Iranian state media. Read all http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/05/middleeast/battle-for-aleppo/index.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=%2AMideast%20Brief