Syria's army seized an area north of Aleppo on Sunday and killed insurgents as fierce battles raged over the strategic territory, a group monitoring the war and state media reported.
Syria's second city is at the heart of clashes between pro-government forces and a range of insurgents, including al-Qaida's Syria wing, Islamist brigades and Western-backed rebels.
The United Nations Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, is seeking a local cease-fire in Aleppo to allow badly needed humanitarian assistance into the divided northern city.