Extremist rebels in Syria have overrun an army base and taken at least 13 villages in one of the biggest flare-ups of violence in years in the country's north-east. The rebels launched a surprise attack on the Syrian army in the northern province of Aleppo,

Jihadist fighters cut the Damascus to Aleppo highway on Thursday during an offensive that a monitor says killed around 200, including civilians hit by Russian air force strikes.

Syrian armed groups opposing the government forces and the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad have launched a large-scale offensive in Aleppo province. The rebels have seized control of several settlements in the country's northwest,