Syrian activists say clashes between government forces and rebels continued in Aleppo Thursday, a day after the military launched a new air and ground assault on rebel positions in the country's largest city.

Journalists inside the city say government forces have been able to recapture some territory, as many rebels reportedly pull back farther north. Several rebel commanders also have complained that they are running low on weapons and munitions.

Rebel field commander Malek al-Kurdi tells VOA's Persian service on the Turkish-Syrian border that rebels desperately need international help.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that nearly 170 people died in fighting across the country Wednesday, including 33 people in Aleppo.

Meanwhile, Syrian ally Iran is hosting talks in Tehran with representatives from nearly 30 countries – including Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq – to try to advance a solution to the crisis.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says the countries are committed to implementing an immediate cease-fire, sending humanitarian aid to Syria and preparing for dialogue.

The United States and its Western allies are not attending and have dismissed the conference as an attempt to divert attention away from the violence in Syria.

In other developments Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appointed Wael al-Halqi as the new prime minister, following the defection earlier this week of former prime minister Riad Hijab.