Syrian Government Forces Attack Northern City

Maaret al-Numan is strategically placed on the highway connecting Damascus and Aleppo

Syrian warplanes pounded a strategic northern city with three airstrikes Tuesday as ground troops pushed forward to recapture the area recently taken by rebels, activists said.

The fighting over Maaret al-Numan, which sits along the main highway that connects Aleppo and Damascus, comes as the regime intensifies efforts to retake the area that was seized by rebels earlier this month.