Rebels say Aleppo siege broken, but others deny claim

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Two rebel groups said on Saturday they had broken the siege of Aleppo after days of fierce fighting in the southwest of the city, but a monitoring group and pro-government online media outlets denied the claim. Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, said in an online statement: "Fighters from outside the city met their brother fighters from inside the city and work is under way to establish control over remaining positions to break the siege." A commander from another, more moderate rebel group also told Reuters the siege had been broken, but said it was early days and matters were "not easy". The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the siege had not been broken but that fighting was very intense in the Ramousah area of southwest Aleppo, where rebels have been battling for control of a major military artillery base. A pro-Syrian government news outlet affiliated with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, fighting on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said in an online statement there was no truth to reports the siege had been broken. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Kevin Liffey)