Syrian government forces have reportedly retaken control of three key districts in rebel-held eastern Aleppo in two days, in what would be a major breakthrough in their offensive on the city.

Regime forces began a renewed bombardment on eastern Aleppo 12 days ago, advancing with a ground and air assault, and took control of Masaken Hanano on Saturday.

State television said President Bashar al Assad's armed forces, backed by their allies, had "put an end to the presence of terrorists there".

"Engineering teams are removing mines and improvised explosive devices planted by terrorists in the squares and streets," the broadcaster added.

On Sunday, the Syrian army was thought to have taken control of a second residential district, Jabal Badra, which is next to Masaken Hanano.


Major damage after Aleppo assault

Later, they also apparently seized Baadeen, meaning they have regained control of three districts from rebels in less than 24 hours.

Rami Abdel Rahman, chief of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said: "The army's rapid advance is due to its strategy of attacking east Aleppo on several fronts, weakening the rebels."

Meanwhile, fighting rages between government and rebel forces in the neighbouring district of Sakhur, which lies between west Aleppo and Masaken Hanano, now both under regime control.

Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said: "We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area," he said, referring to a regime campaign of air strikes on the city.

If regime forces were to take Sakhur, it would leave eastern Aleppo split in two from north to south.

The Observatory said that nearly 10,000 civilians had fled eastern Aleppo for government-held districts since the night of Saturday-Sunday.

Some sought shelter in Masaken Hanano and others headed for Sheikh Maqsoud, which is controlled by the Kurds, they said.

Children rescued from Aleppo rubble

Aleppo, which was Syria's biggest city before the start of the civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, is divided between the government-held west and rebel-held east.

UN officials say at least 250,000 civilians have been trapped under government siege for months in the east, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

Since 15 November, the resumed bombardment in Aleppo has killed at least 212 civilians, including 27 children, and there have been 134 rebel fighter deaths, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.