MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. Terrorist groups active in northern Syria plan to stage a chemical weapons attack to stop the Syrian Army’s advance, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Monday.

According to the agency, terrorists and "Turkish mercenaries" have begun preparations to stage a chemical weapons attack on civilians in the western part of the Aleppo province. SANA added that militants would try to draw the international community’s attention to the incident in order to stop the Syrian army’s advance.

On Sunday, Syrian troops carried out an offensive, taking control over important heights south of the city of Aleppo. The troops will now be able to move towards the settlement of Khan Tuman, located along a highway connecting Aleppo and Damascus, which is held by terrorists from the Jabhat al-Nusra group (outlawed in Russia).