SYRIA

Noose Tightens in Aleppo

Say opposition forces.

Rebel forces said that the Syrian military continued to close in on the populous city of Aleppo on Sunday. Tanks and attack helicopters have reportedly encircled parts of the city, mounting raids on areas held by the rebels. President Bashar al-Assad’s forces are weaker than they look, however, said defecting general Mohammad Al-Zobi, who claimed that a paucity of petrol and other supplies may cause the Army’s onslaught to collapse. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an international response to the assault on Syria’s second-most-important city, which both Assad loyalists and opposition fighters have portrayed as a decisive showdown.