Syria's civil war has taken a dramatic turn, with dictator Bashar Assad once again leaning on Russian support after a shock offensive by Islamist rebels in Aleppo.

The 13-year civil war in Syria has roared back into prominence as insurgents seized Aleppo in a shock offensive marking a major threat to president Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime.The push – which saw insurgents seize the country’s second-largest city – is among the strongest in years,