Militants attack bus in northwest Syria

Several people have been injured after foreign-backed militants in Syria opened fire on a bus in the northwest of the country.

According to reports, the bus was on its way to the city of Idlib from the northwestern city of Aleppo when it came under attack.

The militants also tried to prevent ambulances from reaching those wounded by opening fire on them.

Reports say Syrian soldiers have clashed with militants in the area.

The development comes as the Syrian army carried out a mop-up operation in Aleppo, making more advances against militants operating in the country.

The army managed to retake a number of buildings in the district of al-Layramoun, considered the northern gateway into Aleppo.

In recent weeks, the Syrian army has made major advances in its fight against the armed groups, inflicting heavy losses on them.

On December 27, Syrian troops ambushed the Takfiri militants near the historic Christian village of Ma’loula at dawn with government sources saying that as many as 150 militants were killed in the attack.

According to statistics compiled by the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and a total of 7.8 million of others have been displaced due to the turmoil that has gripped Syria for nearly three years.