PHOTO: Men stand in front of a building destroyed by Russian bombing of the al-Qaterji district in Aleppo, October 17, 2016

UPDATE 1115 GMT: Pro-opposition activists say rebels have pulled out of their last positions in the 3000 Housing Complex, which they entered on Thursday in the second phase of an offensive.

Rebels have twice tried to establish a foothold in the area since they began their offensive eight days ago.

A local source said the attackers, aided by successful vehicle bombings, took 20-25 buildings on the first day. However, they suffered “many” casualties and lost all their armored vehicles.

Rebels also have withdrawn in the New Aleppo area, after they broke the initial regime defense line on Thursday.

Another pro-rebel activist was more positive about the outcome, claiming “hundreds” of dead and wounded among pro-Assad forces and the destruction of a series of defensive positions.

UPDATE 0800 GMT: More than 30 pro-Assad airstrikes have been reported this morning north and west of Aleppo city, including of Daret Izza, Atarib, Abin, Kafrnaya, and Oram al-Kubra.

The Syrian Air Force also confirmed that it attacked rebel positions in the 1070 Housing Complex on the frontline west of Aleppo.

Aftermath of bombing of Kafr Naya — more than 12 people were reportedly killed (Warning — Graphic Images):

A panicked toddler runs away, near bodies including that of a child:

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Both rebels and civilians are preparing for a resumption of Russian and regime bombing of Syria’s largest city Aleppo, following the expiry of a 10-hour Russian “pause”/ultimatum on Friday.

On Wednesday, Russia said rebels would have from 9 am to 7 pm yesterday to leave opposition areas of the city, going to the Turkish border or neighboring Idlib Province. Rebels rejected the initiative, and the US expressed scepticism that the declaration was just a pretext for the renewal of airstrikes that killed more than 600 civilians from mid-September to mid-October.

“Nobody will leave and the Russians will escalate. The Russians declared this,” said Zakaria Malahifji, an official of the Fastaqim rebel faction.

A spokesman from the Nour al-Din al-Zinki group echoed, “The Russians are adopting a policy of demographic change with the regime and Iran, and their intentions are no longer hidden.”

Meanwhile, rebels appeared to be fortifying the limited gains they made in the second phase of their offensive which began west of Aleppo a week ago. Attacks on Thursday and Friday gave the rebels a foothold in the New Aleppo district and possibly the 3000 Housing complex.

See Syria Daily, Nov 4: Rebels Attack Again Near Aleppo

Rebels had already taken most of the Dahiyat al-Assad suburb and secured almost all of the 1070 Housing complex in the first phase of the assault, which included shelling, rockets, and suicide vehicle bombs.

The rebels are hoping to break a Russian-regime siege of opposition-held areas which was re-imposed in late August.

No Departures

As with their earlier “pauses”, both in late July and last week, the Assad regime sent green buses to the crossings in Aleppo, purportedly to move civilians who wished to flee the opposition districts in the east of the city. However, as few if any of the 275,000 residents showed up again, Russia and the regime put out their standard line that rebels must be forcing civilians to remain.

People in eastern Aleppo said they were resigned to the resumption in bombing, which was renewed on September 19 with the Russian-regime destruction of a UN convoy. The raids continued until October 18, when Russia — under political pressure and accused of complicity in the Assad regime’s “war crimes” — said it was suspending the attacks.

“Nothing can be done. Nobody can stop the planes,” said Bebars Mishal, an official with the White Helmets civil defense organization.

“They call it a ceasefire. The regime hasn’t let us hear the end of it,” said Modar Shekho, a nurse. “As usual, when it ends they will let the bombardment loose. We’ve gotten used to this.”

Regime officials pointed to the renewal of the attacks on east Aleppo. Fadi Ismail, an official in the “reconciliation” agency in Aleppo, said:

I wish civilians would exit…but I expect that won’t happen, not under these circumstances….

There must be military action, of course.