Russian attacks backfiring, says US as Isil reaches Aleppo

President Bashar al Assad

Louisa Loveluck, Ahmed Vahdat and Richard Spencer in London

IsIL militants reached the outskirts of Syria's second city yesterday as the US warned Russia its campaign to tackle the extremist group was backfiring.

The jihadists launched a surprise attack on non-Isil rebel positions north of Aleppo on Thursday night, seizing at least three villages and a former army base that rebels had captured from troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad two years ago.