Death toll of intensified conflict in Syria rises above five hundred, civilians also killed

aleppo - The death toll from the intensified conflict in Syria has risen above five hundred, according to an observatory group. The British-Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that in addition to hundreds of militants and military personnel, nearly dozens of civilians have been killed.

The protracted civil war in Syria intensified last week when a coalition of rebel groups led by the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a new offensive. They entered Aleppo, the country's second city. In 2011, the group was known as Jabhat al-Nusra, founded by the then IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi with the aim of establishing an Islamic state in Syria. They are said to adopt a more moderate tone now, although many analysts take that with a grain of salt.

Approximately 2 million people reside in Aleppo. The Islamic rebels are said to control the city almost entirely and have also captured the airport. Some neighborhoods are still under the control of Kurdish units, which protect minorities and Christian groups, according to the Observatory.

The Observatory, relying on its sources, reported on Monday that 267 insurgents were killed in the recent hostilities. On the side of Bashar al-Assad's regime, at least 154 casualties were confirmed by the observatory group.

Assad is backed by Russia and Iran, the archenemy of Israel. Syrian and Russian warplanes conducted hundreds of airstrikes in areas held by the insurgents, particularly in Idlib and Aleppo, as stated by the Observatory.

The United Nations said that between November 26 and December 1, at least 44 civilians, including 12 children, were killed in northwestern Syria. Moreover, more than 48,000 people were displaced.

The UN agency OCHA, responsible for coordinating humanitarian affairs, reported damage to facilities, including schools and hospitals.

The violence has raised international concerns. The EU and the US called on all parties to de-escalate. The EU foreign service also criticized Russia for carrying out bombings in densely populated areas.