Syrian regime launched a fresh offensive in the Wadi Barada area of Damascus as opposition factions have seized territory across Damascus province. Residents of the Syrian capital were facing their fourth consecutive day of water shortages, with authorities accusing opposition groups of deliberately poisoning water resources.The water shortages have come as Bashar al-Assad forces bombard Wadi Barada and Ain al-Fijeh, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor said regime forces were shelling the area "to put pressure on [opposition] factions and [Jabhat Fateh al-Sham] to accept a reconciliation deal."The Syrian regime cut off water to Damascus on Friday after concerns that opposition groups west of the city had poisoned wells and pipes.An estimated 1.5 million people live inside Damascus city, with another 3.5 million in its suburbs. Through a series of so-called settlement agreements and army offensives, the Syrian regime, backed by Russian air power and Iran-backed Shiite militias, has been steadily suppressing opposition around the capital.Meanwhile, Russian jets stepped up strikes on several towns in Syria's opposition-held Idlib province and rural Aleppo two days after the evacuation of rebels from their last pocket in the northern city of Aleppo over the weekened.According to local sources, at least eight strikes targeted Binish, Saraqeb and Jisr al Shaqour - main towns in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib. There were reports of several casualties, mainly among civilians.The Assad's army has hinted the next major campaign after its victory in Aleppo was to rout opposition fighters in their stronghold of Idlib province.Residents and opposition fighters said Russian and Syrian jets also staged heavy strikes on opposition-held parts of western and southern parts of rural Aleppo for the second day since the last opposition fighters left their remaining pocket of territory in Aleppo city.They raided the town of Khan al Asal, about 14 km (9 miles) west of Aleppo, with cluster bombs while several strikes hit Hreitan and Andan, according to a rebel fighter from Jaish al Mujahdeen. The nearby town of Atareb was also hit.Although the Assad's army, with the help of Iranian-backed militias, was able to take full control of Aleppo city after Russia conducted hundreds of raids that pulverized opposition-held parts, large swathes of western and southern Aleppo countryside remain in rebel hands.