Syria

New Zealand has condemned Russia and China's veto of a United Nations resolution for a truce in Syria.

The Syrian government hopes to regain control of the besieged city within weeks, a military spokesperson says.

New Zealand, Egypt and Spain have tabled a resolution demanding an end to the "all-out attack" on the Syrian city.

Up to 16,000 civilians have been displaced by the Syrian government's advance into besieged rebel-held areas of the city of Aleppo, the UN says.

Syrian government forces have been making rapid advances into eastern Aleppo, forcing thousands of civilians to flee.

A UN proposal to end heavy fighting in the city of Aleppo has been rejected by the Syrian government.

All hospitals in Syria's besieged rebel-held eastern Aleppo are out of service after days of heavy air strikes, health officials say.

A hospital, blood bank and ambulances are reported to have been hit as Syrian government aircraft and artillery bombarded rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

A US-backed force has begun an operation to capture Raqqa, Islamic State's "capital" in Syria.

The UN special envoy for Syria says he is 'appalled and shocked' that rebels in Aleppo are targeting civilians in the city.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has demanded an immediate investigation into an air strike in Syria on Wednesday that reportedly struck a school, killing more than 20 children.

A New Zealand urban search and rescue expert is being sent to help train a Syrian civil defence organisation.

Heavy clashes have been reported in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo after a three-day ceasefire ended.

A third toxic gas attack was carried out by Syrian government forces in March last year, an international inquiry is reported to have concluded.

Medical evacuations from Aleppo are unlikely despite a 24-hour extension of the truce, the UN says.

Russia says it will extend by 24 hours its "humanitarian pause" in air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo, taking the break up until Friday afternoon.