On Thursday evening an air strike hit the Syrian town of Al-Jinah, near the city of Aleppo. A local mosque was also struck during the attack and at least 42 civilians died.&nbsp;

The US Central Command (Centcom) claimed responsibility for the military action, but denied to have hit the mosque. They said the operation was meant to target an al-Quaeda venue.&nbsp;

Al-Jinah is located in the Idlib plain. The area is majorly controlled by several Islamist anti-Assad brigades among which Ahrar al-Sham and Jabat Fateh-al Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra which was born as the Syrian branch of al-Quaeda, but has apparently severed its ties to the organisation.&nbsp;

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The map shows the distance between the town of Al-Jinah and Aleppo. (Photo source: Wikimapia) (Others)
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Syrian and Russian air forces, also active in the area, did not release any statement. &nbsp;

Colonel John J Thomas, spokesman for US Central Command confirmed that US fighters targeted a building located very close to the mosque.&nbsp;

&quot;We did not target a mosque, but the building that we did target, which was where the meeting took place -- is about 50 feet (15 meters) from a mosque that is still standing,&quot; he said. &quot;We are going to look into any allegations of civilian casualties in relation to this strike.&quot;&nbsp;

The partial collapse of the mosque could be the result of the close proximity of what the US claim to have been the real target. Parts of the building could have collapsed due to the impact of the airstrikes.&nbsp;

If this is the case it means that the attack was not a light one and the miscalculation of the bombing&#39;s side effects led to the killing of the believers praying in the mosque. &nbsp;

The investigative website <a href="https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/03/16/us-missile-remains-reportedly-recovered-from-site-of-aleppo-mosque-bombing/" target="_blank">Bellingcat</a>&nbsp;has published a picture showing a fragment of a bomb which was found under the mosque&#39;s rubbles. Bellingcat was able to verify through opensource information that the picture is most likely authentic, but the team could not verify if the fragment was actually located within the rubbles.&nbsp;

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Photo shows the remnants of a bomb used in the airstrike on the &lsquo;Umar ibn Al-Kha??ab mosque in the rebel-held village of al-Jina, w-Aleppo. <a href="https://t.co/aGsqMjcWIJ">pic.twitter.com/aGsqMjcWIJ</a>
&mdash; Sakir Khader (@sakirkhader) <a href="https://twitter.com/sakirkhader/status/842480710606864384">March 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The picture originally appeared on the Twitter account of the journalist Sakir Khader&nbsp;

If this fragment has actually been found on the spot, it could suggest that a bomb fell directly on the mosque.

One single fragment is however not enough to establish a direct attack against, it could have reached the due to the post-explosion defragmentation. An air-to-surface missile causes a large explosion and shrapnel can easily travel for a long distance.&nbsp; 
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According to local sources quoted again by Bellingcat, the attack took place during the evening prayer when the mosque was crowded with believers.

The operation was part of a large scale&nbsp;US offensive aimed at targeting terrorist organisation active in West Asia. According to the US government, the campaing against the Islamic State has costed 11.4 billion USD since 2014&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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US Central Command said they did not target the mosque but another building 15 metres away

On Thursday evening an air strike hit the Syrian town of Al-Jinah, near the city of Aleppo. A local mosque was also struck during the attack and at least 42 civilians died. The US Central Command (Centcom) claimed responsibility for the military action, but denied to have hit the mosque. They said the operation was meant to target an al-Quaeda venue. Al-Jinah is located in the Idlib plain. The area is majorly controlled by several Islamist anti-Assad brigades among which Ahrar al-Sham and Jabat Fateh-al Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra which was born as the Syrian branch of al-Quaeda, but has apparently severed its ties to the organisation. The map shows the distance between the town of Al-Jinah and Aleppo. (Photo source: Wikimapia) (Others) × Syrian and Russian air forces, also active in the area, did not release any statement. Colonel John J Thomas, spokesman for US Central Command confirmed that US fighters targeted a building located very close to the mosque. "We did not target a mosque, but the building that we did target, which was where the meeting took place -- is about 50 feet (15 meters) from a mosque that is still standing," he said. "We are going to look into any allegations of civilian casualties in relation to this strike." The partial collapse of the mosque could be the result of the close proximity of what the US claim to have been the real target. Parts of the building could have collapsed due to the impact of the airstrikes. If this is the case it means that the attack was not a light one and the miscalculation of the bombing's side effects led to the killing of the believers praying in the mosque. The investigative website Bellingcat has published a picture showing a fragment of a bomb which was found under the mosque's rubbles. Bellingcat was able to verify through opensource information that the picture is most likely authentic, but the team could not verify if the fragment was actually located within the rubbles. Photo shows the remnants of a bomb used in the airstrike on the ‘Umar ibn Al-Kha??ab mosque in the rebel-held village of al-Jina, w-Aleppo. pic.twitter.com/aGsqMjcWIJ — Sakir Khader (@sakirkhader) March 16, 2017 × The picture originally appeared on the Twitter account of the journalist Sakir Khader If this fragment has actually been found on the spot, it could suggest that a bomb fell directly on the mosque. One single fragment is however not enough to establish a direct attack against, it could have reached the due to the post-explosion defragmentation. An air-to-surface missile causes a large explosion and shrapnel can easily travel for a long distance. According to local sources quoted again by Bellingcat, the attack took place during the evening prayer when the mosque was crowded with believers. The operation was part of a large scale US offensive aimed at targeting terrorist organisation active in West Asia. According to the US government, the campaing against the Islamic State has costed 11.4 billion USD since 2014 (WION with inputs from agencies)

After 42 die, US claims deadly Syria air strike but denies targeting mosque

At least 42 people were killed and dozens more wounded on Thursday in air strikes on a village mosque in northern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

&quot;The raids by unidentified warplanes targeted a mosque in Aleppo province during evening prayers, killing 42 people, most of them civilians,&quot; said the head of the Britain-based Observatory Rami Abdel Rahman.&nbsp;

&quot;More than 100 people were wounded,&quot; he said, adding that many were still trapped under the collapsed mosque in the village of Al-Jineh, just over 30 kilometres (20 miles) west of Aleppo.

The village is held by rebel and Islamist groups, but no jihadist factions are present.&nbsp;

Rescue workers struggled to pull survivors from rubble, and dozens of residents were still unaccounted for, the Observatory said.&nbsp;

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<h5>The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information, says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. But the skies over Aleppo province are busy, with Syrian regime and Russian warplanes as well as US-led coalition aircraft carrying out air strikes</h5>
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Abu Muhammed, a village resident, told AFP that he &quot;heard powerful explosions when the mosque was hit. It was right after the prayer at a time where there is usually religious lessons for men in it&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I saw 15 bodies and lots of body parts in the debris when I arrived. We couldn&#39;t even recognise some of the bodies,&quot; he added.

An AFP reporter at the scene said rescuers earlier left the wreckage site but were forced to double back when they heard moaning coming from the debris.

Footage published by Halab Today, an online media group focused on news in Aleppo, showed piles of rubble where the mosque allegedly stood.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began six years ago with anti-government protests.

A cessation of hostilities was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime ally Russia in December, but violence has continued across much of the country.&nbsp;

The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information, says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used.

But the skies over Aleppo province are busy, with Syrian regime and Russian warplanes as well as US-led coalition aircraft carrying out air strikes.

Russia began a military intervention in Syria in September 2015, and in the past has dismissed allegations of civilian deaths in its strikes.

The US-led coalition, meanwhile, has been bombing jihadist groups in Syria since 2014.&nbsp;

The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group said earlier this month that its raids in Iraq and Syria had unintentionally killed at least 220 civilians since 2014.&nbsp;

Critics say the real number is much higher.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The village mosque in Aleppo province had been packed with evening worshippers when the warplanes hit

At least 42 people were killed and dozens more wounded on Thursday in air strikes on a village mosque in northern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "The raids by unidentified warplanes targeted a mosque in Aleppo province during evening prayers, killing 42 people, most of them civilians," said the head of the Britain-based Observatory Rami Abdel Rahman. "More than 100 people were wounded," he said, adding that many were still trapped under the collapsed mosque in the village of Al-Jineh, just over 30 kilometres (20 miles) west of Aleppo. The village is held by rebel and Islamist groups, but no jihadist factions are present. Rescue workers struggled to pull survivors from rubble, and dozens of residents were still unaccounted for, the Observatory said. The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information, says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. But the skies over Aleppo province are busy, with Syrian regime and Russian warplanes as well as US-led coalition aircraft carrying out air strikes × Abu Muhammed, a village resident, told AFP that he "heard powerful explosions when the mosque was hit. It was right after the prayer at a time where there is usually religious lessons for men in it". "I saw 15 bodies and lots of body parts in the debris when I arrived. We couldn't even recognise some of the bodies," he added. An AFP reporter at the scene said rescuers earlier left the wreckage site but were forced to double back when they heard moaning coming from the debris. Footage published by Halab Today, an online media group focused on news in Aleppo, showed piles of rubble where the mosque allegedly stood. More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began six years ago with anti-government protests. A cessation of hostilities was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime ally Russia in December, but violence has continued across much of the country. The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information, says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. But the skies over Aleppo province are busy, with Syrian regime and Russian warplanes as well as US-led coalition aircraft carrying out air strikes. Russia began a military intervention in Syria in September 2015, and in the past has dismissed allegations of civilian deaths in its strikes. The US-led coalition, meanwhile, has been bombing jihadist groups in Syria since 2014. The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group said earlier this month that its raids in Iraq and Syria had unintentionally killed at least 220 civilians since 2014. Critics say the real number is much higher. (AFP)

42 dead after air strikes hit mosque in northern Syria: Monitor

Syrian regime forces took control of six rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo over the weekend as they advanced their offensive to recapture Syria&#39;s second city.

Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo.

Syrian forces also took control of Jabal Badra and Baadeeen and took three other districts on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The monitor said that Inzarat, Al-Sakan al-Shaabi and Ain al-Tall have been taken over by government forces and the army has made large forays into Sakhur and nearby Haidariya.

It said government forces are &quot;in control of most of the northern part&quot; of Aleppo. The Observatory also reported that more than 4,000 civilians had fled east Aleppo overnight Saturday

&quot;The rebels have lost at least 30 per cent of the territory they once controlled in Aleppo,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said, news agency AFP reported. &quot;It is the first exodus of this kind from east Aleppo since 2012.&quot;

Masaken Hanano was the first district to be taken by the rebels in 2012.

The regime has focussed its attention on the Sakhur as they pound rebel positions in the district.

Civilinas were taken &quot;by the army to safe areas&quot;, official media said, AFP reported.

Syrian state television broadcast images of a crowd gathered around green buses that it said had come to pick them up in Masaken Hanano, AFP said.

&quot;We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area,&quot; Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said of a regime campaign of air strikes, AFP reported.

The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling.

Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The regime bombardment has killed 225 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15.

More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

(With inputs from AFP)

Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo

Syrian regime forces took control of six rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo over the weekend as they advanced their offensive to recapture Syria's second city. Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo. Syrian forces also took control of Jabal Badra and Baadeeen and took three other districts on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitor said that Inzarat, Al-Sakan al-Shaabi and Ain al-Tall have been taken over by government forces and the army has made large forays into Sakhur and nearby Haidariya. It said government forces are "in control of most of the northern part" of Aleppo. The Observatory also reported that more than 4,000 civilians had fled east Aleppo overnight Saturday "The rebels have lost at least 30 per cent of the territory they once controlled in Aleppo," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said, news agency AFP reported. "It is the first exodus of this kind from east Aleppo since 2012." Masaken Hanano was the first district to be taken by the rebels in 2012. The regime has focussed its attention on the Sakhur as they pound rebel positions in the district. Civilinas were taken "by the army to safe areas", official media said, AFP reported. Syrian state television broadcast images of a crowd gathered around green buses that it said had come to pick them up in Masaken Hanano, AFP said. "We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area," Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said of a regime campaign of air strikes, AFP reported. The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling. Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The regime bombardment has killed 225 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies. (With inputs from AFP)

Syria forces retake 6 Aleppo rebel areas, civilians flee

A 10-hour Russian-declared ceasefire in rebel-held areas of Syria&#39;s Aleppo city came into effect on Friday. However, expectations were low that civilians or rebel fighters would take the opportunity to leave, AFP reported.

Syrian state media said rebels fired rockets at one of the eight evacuation passages open for civilians and rebels, and accused opposition fighters of preventing residents from fleeing.

Half-way through the 10-hour ceasefire, AFP correspondents in Aleppo said no one had used any of the passages Moscow said were open.

Russia&#39;s defence ministry told AFP two of its servicemen were &quot;lightly wounded&quot; in rebel shelling of a corridor intended for the evacuation of fighters.

Russia said&nbsp;the Syrian army had opened eight crossings on the front line for civilians to leave, two of which could also be used by surrendering rebel fighters.

Moscow ally Damascus said the purpose of the &quot;humanitarian pause&quot; was an attempt to &quot;prevent senseless casualties.&quot;

The rebels, meanwhile, dismissed the latest ceasefire as a ploy by Moscow to deflect international criticism of the high civilian death toll from its bombing campaign.

&quot;This announcement is worthless... We don&#39;t trust the Russians or any of their cheap initiatives,&quot; Yasser al-Youssef, a politburo member of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel brigade in Aleppo told AFP.

Syria and Russia have accused the rebels of preventing civilians of leaving the city.

Civilians in the east, who have faced weeks of devastating bombardment by the government and its Russian ally, have expressed scepticism about the promises of safe passage.

Last month, a similar 72-hour ceasefire ended with only a handful of people leaving the eastern part of the city which has been devastated by fighting ever since it was seized by rebels in 2012.

In July, the Syrian army cut the last supply route from other rebel-held territory, leaving the more than 250,000 civilians still living in the east without access to basic goods.

The Syrian army, backed by Russian forces, stepped up its &nbsp;offensive to recapture the rebel-held sector in September, killing hundreds.

The rebels, who launched &nbsp;an attempt to break the siege last week, have intensified their efforts since Thursday, AFP reported.

Rocket fire on government-held districts killed at least 12 people, state media said.

The rebels captured the Dahiyet al-Assad neighbourhood and the village of Minyan outside west Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The latest deaths brought to nearly 70 the number of civilians killed in government-held areas since the rebel offensive began, the Britain-based monitoring group said.

An AFP correspondent in east Aleppo said the front lines were quiet on Friday morning after fighting halted during the night.

The Russian defence ministry posted what it said were live feeds from three of the crossings. One showed barrels painted with the Syrian flag next to a large photograph of President Bashar al-Assad propped up by sandbags. Another showed waiting ambulances while the third --- which appeared to be filmed from a drone --- showed a line of green coaches, AFP reported.

The United Nations, which has repeatedly expressed concern over the situation in Aleppo, said it would not be attempting any medical evacuations from the rebel-held sector during Friday&#39;s ceasefire. UN agencies tried but failed to organise evacuation convoys during last month&#39;s pause.

&quot;The UN will not be involved in any way in the evacuation of civilians from east Aleppo related to this announcement,&quot; said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office.&nbsp;

&quot;Medical evacuations can only take place if parties to the conflict take all the necessary measures to provide an enabling environment, which hasn&#39;t happened,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;We remain very, very concerned about the humanitarian situation in east Aleppo. There have been no humanitarian supplies reaching the east of the city since early July.&quot;

The death toll has drawn international condemnation of both Damascus and Moscow. The European Union said Russian actions &quot;may amount to war crimes&quot;.

More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted with anti-government protests in March 2011. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Moscow said the 10-hour 'humanitarian pause' aimed at preventing 'senseless casualties'

A 10-hour Russian-declared ceasefire in rebel-held areas of Syria's Aleppo city came into effect on Friday. However, expectations were low that civilians or rebel fighters would take the opportunity to leave, AFP reported. Syrian state media said rebels fired rockets at one of the eight evacuation passages open for civilians and rebels, and accused opposition fighters of preventing residents from fleeing. Half-way through the 10-hour ceasefire, AFP correspondents in Aleppo said no one had used any of the passages Moscow said were open. Russia's defence ministry told AFP two of its servicemen were "lightly wounded" in rebel shelling of a corridor intended for the evacuation of fighters. Russia said the Syrian army had opened eight crossings on the front line for civilians to leave, two of which could also be used by surrendering rebel fighters. Moscow ally Damascus said the purpose of the "humanitarian pause" was an attempt to "prevent senseless casualties." The rebels, meanwhile, dismissed the latest ceasefire as a ploy by Moscow to deflect international criticism of the high civilian death toll from its bombing campaign. "This announcement is worthless... We don't trust the Russians or any of their cheap initiatives," Yasser al-Youssef, a politburo member of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel brigade in Aleppo told AFP. Syria and Russia have accused the rebels of preventing civilians of leaving the city. Civilians in the east, who have faced weeks of devastating bombardment by the government and its Russian ally, have expressed scepticism about the promises of safe passage. Last month, a similar 72-hour ceasefire ended with only a handful of people leaving the eastern part of the city which has been devastated by fighting ever since it was seized by rebels in 2012. In July, the Syrian army cut the last supply route from other rebel-held territory, leaving the more than 250,000 civilians still living in the east without access to basic goods. The Syrian army, backed by Russian forces, stepped up its offensive to recapture the rebel-held sector in September, killing hundreds. The rebels, who launched an attempt to break the siege last week, have intensified their efforts since Thursday, AFP reported. Rocket fire on government-held districts killed at least 12 people, state media said. The rebels captured the Dahiyet al-Assad neighbourhood and the village of Minyan outside west Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The latest deaths brought to nearly 70 the number of civilians killed in government-held areas since the rebel offensive began, the Britain-based monitoring group said. An AFP correspondent in east Aleppo said the front lines were quiet on Friday morning after fighting halted during the night. The Russian defence ministry posted what it said were live feeds from three of the crossings. One showed barrels painted with the Syrian flag next to a large photograph of President Bashar al-Assad propped up by sandbags. Another showed waiting ambulances while the third --- which appeared to be filmed from a drone --- showed a line of green coaches, AFP reported. The United Nations, which has repeatedly expressed concern over the situation in Aleppo, said it would not be attempting any medical evacuations from the rebel-held sector during Friday's ceasefire. UN agencies tried but failed to organise evacuation convoys during last month's pause. "The UN will not be involved in any way in the evacuation of civilians from east Aleppo related to this announcement," said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office. "Medical evacuations can only take place if parties to the conflict take all the necessary measures to provide an enabling environment, which hasn't happened," he told AFP. "We remain very, very concerned about the humanitarian situation in east Aleppo. There have been no humanitarian supplies reaching the east of the city since early July." The death toll has drawn international condemnation of both Damascus and Moscow. The European Union said Russian actions "may amount to war crimes". More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted with anti-government protests in March 2011. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Russia's 10-hour 'humanitarian pause' begins in Syria's Aleppo

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After 42 die, US claims deadly Syria air strike but denies targeting mosque

42 dead after air strikes hit mosque in northern Syria: Monitor

Syria forces retake 6 Aleppo rebel areas, civilians flee

Russia's 10-hour 'humanitarian pause' begins in Syria's Aleppo