The military forces captured the industrial area of Shaqif, under the rebel control for over four years, in the northern countryside of Aleppo. (AFP photo)

DAMASCUS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army backed by allied fighters succeeded Sunday to wrest control over factories in the northern province of Aleppo, as part of a wide-scale offensive against rebel-held areas, a military source told Xinhua.

The military forces captured the industrial area of Shaqif in the northern countryside of Aleppo, further securing the road of Castello.

As a target of repeated rebel attacks, the road was the opposition fighters' only supply route to rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo, before the army captured it a couple of months ago.

The advance of the army comes as part of the recently declared battle by the general command of the Syrian army against the rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo city.

The Shaqif has been under the rebel control for over four years.

Aleppo has a strategic importance for the warring parties due to its location near the Turkish borders, and being Syria's largest province, and once the economic hub of Syria.

Aleppo has witnessed the destruction of its industrial cities, which were the main lifeline to the province and Syria in general.