In pics: Syrian children in focus at Sarajevo museum on war and childhood

The US decision to withdraw troops from Syria will not jeopardise Washington`s efforts to counter threats in the region, which come from Iran and Islamic State, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.

Pompeo was in Jordan, making his first visit to the Middle East since President Donald Trump`s abrupt announcement that he will pull the 2,000 US troops from Syria, which caused alarm among US allies in the region and prompted the resignation of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.

The US troops in Syria have been fighting against Islamic State and also served as a counterweight to the Syrian government, which is backed by Iran and Russia.

Many of Trump`s domestic and international critics have said that withdrawing the troops abruptly could expose Washington`s Kurdish allies to repression from Turkey, and also allow Iran to solidify its influence in Syria.

But Pompeo said Washington was not stepping down from its efforts to challenge Iran. American policy makers were "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran," he said.&nbsp;

"There is enormous agreement on the risk that Iran poses to Jordan and other countries in the region," Pompeo added.&nbsp;

Jordan, which has expressed worries in the past about Iranian influence, particularly near the Jordanian border in southern Syria, said Tehran should refrain from meddling in the affairs of its neighbours Syria and Iraq.&nbsp;

"We all have problems with Iran`s expansionist policies in the region," Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.

The US decision to withdraw troops from Syria will not jeopardise Washington`s efforts to counter threats in the region, which come from Iran and Islamic State, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.

The US decision to withdraw troops from Syria will not jeopardise Washington`s efforts to counter threats in the region, which come from Iran and Islamic State, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday. Pompeo was in Jordan, making his first visit to the Middle East since President Donald Trump`s abrupt announcement that he will pull the 2,000 US troops from Syria, which caused alarm among US allies in the region and prompted the resignation of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis. The US troops in Syria have been fighting against Islamic State and also served as a counterweight to the Syrian government, which is backed by Iran and Russia. Many of Trump`s domestic and international critics have said that withdrawing the troops abruptly could expose Washington`s Kurdish allies to repression from Turkey, and also allow Iran to solidify its influence in Syria. But Pompeo said Washington was not stepping down from its efforts to challenge Iran. American policy makers were "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran," he said. "There is enormous agreement on the risk that Iran poses to Jordan and other countries in the region," Pompeo added. Jordan, which has expressed worries in the past about Iranian influence, particularly near the Jordanian border in southern Syria, said Tehran should refrain from meddling in the affairs of its neighbours Syria and Iraq. "We all have problems with Iran`s expansionist policies in the region," Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.

US withdrawal from Syria does not jeopardise efforts to counter Iran, Pompeo says

Days after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-aide-sets-conditions-for-us-syria-withdrawal-188724">US National Security Advisr John Bolton</a> stated conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, Turkish President&nbsp;Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told journalists in Ankara on Tuesday that Turkey would provide no assurances to Kurdish militia forces in Syria.

The clarification from the spokesman came after he held a meeting with Bolton.

"Nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organisation," Kalin told journalists.

White House national security adviser John Bolton had on Sunday sought protection for the Syrian Kurdish forces.

Bolton, who is&nbsp;on a four-day trip to Israel and Turkey, had said earlier&nbsp;that he would stress on the security of the Kurdish forces.

He had also added that&nbsp;Trump's position is that Turkey may not attack the Kurds and that the US&nbsp;withdrawal would not take place without an agreement on that.

President&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-surprise-how-trumps-phone-call-changed-the-war-187008">Donald Trump's abrupt decision to announce a US&nbsp;pull-out from Syria</a>&nbsp;left open many questions, chiefly whether Kurds fighters operating in northern Syria would now be targetted by their long-time enemy Turkey.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Turkey on Tuesday urged the United States to take back all the weapons provided to Syrian Kurdish militia forces in the fight against the Islamic State group, a presidential spokesman said.

"We expect that all the weapons that were given out will be seized," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told journalists in Ankara after a meeting with White House National Security adviser John Bolton.

The US troops in Syria have never been involved in a direct fight with the ISIS militant group unless it was for their self-defence.&nbsp;

Since 2015 the forces had been assisting and advising the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Force (SDF).

The Kurdish forces who have been demanding a separate country for themselves&nbsp;fought against the Islamic State in the country alongside the US troops.

The Bashar al-Assad regime, on the other hand, was backed by Russia, Iran and Turkey.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Days after US National Security Advisr John Bolton stated conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told journalists in Ankara on Tuesday that Turkey would provide no assurances to Kurdish militia forces in Syria.

Days after US National Security Advisr John Bolton stated conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told journalists in Ankara on Tuesday that Turkey would provide no assurances to Kurdish militia forces in Syria. The clarification from the spokesman came after he held a meeting with Bolton. "Nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organisation," Kalin told journalists. White House national security adviser John Bolton had on Sunday sought protection for the Syrian Kurdish forces. Bolton, who is on a four-day trip to Israel and Turkey, had said earlier that he would stress on the security of the Kurdish forces. He had also added that Trump's position is that Turkey may not attack the Kurds and that the US withdrawal would not take place without an agreement on that. President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to announce a US pull-out from Syria left open many questions, chiefly whether Kurds fighters operating in northern Syria would now be targetted by their long-time enemy Turkey. Meanwhile, Turkey on Tuesday urged the United States to take back all the weapons provided to Syrian Kurdish militia forces in the fight against the Islamic State group, a presidential spokesman said. "We expect that all the weapons that were given out will be seized," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told journalists in Ankara after a meeting with White House National Security adviser John Bolton. The US troops in Syria have never been involved in a direct fight with the ISIS militant group unless it was for their self-defence. Since 2015 the forces had been assisting and advising the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Force (SDF). The Kurdish forces who have been demanding a separate country for themselves fought against the Islamic State in the country alongside the US troops. The Bashar al-Assad regime, on the other hand, was backed by Russia, Iran and Turkey. (With inputs from agencies)

Turkey will give no assurances to US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria: Erdogan's spokesman

Russia's defence minister said Saturday that almost 88,000 rebels had been killed in Syria in the three years since Moscow's intervention to back government forces.

"Over the course of the operation, a total of more than 87,500 rebels have been eliminated, 1,411 settlements have been liberated and more than 95 per cent of Syria's territory," Shoigu was quoted as saying at a forum in Singapore in a ministry statement.

"Most of the rebels have been liquidated," Shoigu said.

Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says close to 365,000 people have been killed during the seven-year civil war.

Russia launched strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in September 2015.

Russian air forces have carried out more than 40,000 bombing missions, hitting about 120,000 targets of "terrorist" infrastructure, Shoigu said.

The defence minister said that "Syrian armed forces currently control territory where more than 90 per cent of the population lives."

Russia's defence minister said Saturday that almost 88,000 rebels had been killed in Syria in the three years since Moscow's intervention to back government forces.

Russia's defence minister said Saturday that almost 88,000 rebels had been killed in Syria in the three years since Moscow's intervention to back government forces. "Over the course of the operation, a total of more than 87,500 rebels have been eliminated, 1,411 settlements have been liberated and more than 95 per cent of Syria's territory," Shoigu was quoted as saying at a forum in Singapore in a ministry statement. "Most of the rebels have been liquidated," Shoigu said. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says close to 365,000 people have been killed during the seven-year civil war. Russia launched strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in September 2015. Russian air forces have carried out more than 40,000 bombing missions, hitting about 120,000 targets of "terrorist" infrastructure, Shoigu said. The defence minister said that "Syrian armed forces currently control territory where more than 90 per cent of the population lives."

Moscow's intervention has killed around 88,000 rebels in Syria: Russian defence ministry

The main border crossing between Jordan and war-torn Syria reopened on Monday after a three-year closure.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-captures-2013-border-bombing-suspect-in-syria-operation-165255">Also Read:&nbsp;Turkey captures 2013 border bombing suspect in Syria operation</a>

The black metal border gate was opened from the Jordanian side of the crossing at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) as more than a dozen police and customs officials stood nearby while several cars bearing Jordanian license plates queued on the Syrian side ready to roll in.

Normal traffic, however, will not be allowed immediately.

The border crossing, known as Jaber on the Jordanian side and Nassib on the Syrian side, was a key trade route before Amman closed it after the post was overrun by rebels in April 2015.

The reopening comes after Syrian government troops retook their side of the crossing in July under a deal with rebel fighters brokered by Moscow.&nbsp;

The crossing was a key link not only for direct trade between the neighbouring countries but also for longer-distance transit, which was a significant source of revenue.

After seven years of civil war, Syria's government has recaptured large swathes of territory from rebels with backing from Russia, but it still only controls around half the 19 crossing points with neighbours Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.&nbsp;

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rzd3BxDVGR8" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The main border crossing between Jordan and war-torn Syria reopened on Monday after a three-year closure. Also Read: Turkey captures 2013 border bombing suspect in Syria operation The black metal border gate was opened from the Jordanian side of the crossing at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) as more than a dozen police and customs officials stood nearby while several cars bearing Jordanian license plates queued on the Syrian side ready to roll in.

The main border crossing between Jordan and war-torn Syria reopened on Monday after a three-year closure. Also Read: Turkey captures 2013 border bombing suspect in Syria operation The black metal border gate was opened from the Jordanian side of the crossing at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) as more than a dozen police and customs officials stood nearby while several cars bearing Jordanian license plates queued on the Syrian side ready to roll in. Normal traffic, however, will not be allowed immediately. The border crossing, known as Jaber on the Jordanian side and Nassib on the Syrian side, was a key trade route before Amman closed it after the post was overrun by rebels in April 2015. The reopening comes after Syrian government troops retook their side of the crossing in July under a deal with rebel fighters brokered by Moscow. The crossing was a key link not only for direct trade between the neighbouring countries but also for longer-distance transit, which was a significant source of revenue. After seven years of civil war, Syria's government has recaptured large swathes of territory from rebels with backing from Russia, but it still only controls around half the 19 crossing points with neighbours Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.

Jordan-Syria border crossing reopens after 3 years

Israeli <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-led-strikes-on-raqqa-killed-42-civilians-monitor-19304">warplanes targeted a Syria</a>n military position in Hama province early on Thursday from Lebanese airspace, killing two people and causing material damage, the Syrian army general command said in a statement.

The army statement said it took place near the town of Masyaf and warned against the &quot;dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region&quot;.

An Israeli army spokeswoman earlier declined to discuss reports of a strike in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/enough-evidence-to-convict-syrias-assad-of-war-crimes-un-commission-18940">Syria</a>, saying the army does not comment on operational matters.

Israeli officials have in the past admitted that Israel has attacked weapons shipments bound for Lebanon&#39;s Iran-backed Hezbollah group, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, without specifying which ones.

Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence, tweeted that the reported attack was not routine and targeted a Syrian military scientific centre.

&quot;The facility at Masyaf also produces chemical weapons and explosive barrels that have killed thousands of Syrian civilians,&quot; Yadlin said in the tweet.

There was no independent confirmation that this was the target but the United Nations has said in the past that the Syrian government has carried out chemical weapons attacks, which Damascus denies.

Israeli officials have also previously said that Israel and Russia, another Assad ally, maintain regular contacts to coordinate military action in Syria.

Jets flying over Lebanon overnight broke the sound barrier and Lebanese media reported that some Israeli jets had breached Lebanese airspace.

The air strike has killed two people and caused material damage, the Syrian army general command said

Israeli warplanes targeted a Syrian military position in Hama province early on Thursday from Lebanese airspace, killing two people and causing material damage, the Syrian army general command said in a statement. The army statement said it took place near the town of Masyaf and warned against the "dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region". An Israeli army spokeswoman earlier declined to discuss reports of a strike in Syria, saying the army does not comment on operational matters. Israeli officials have in the past admitted that Israel has attacked weapons shipments bound for Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, without specifying which ones. Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence, tweeted that the reported attack was not routine and targeted a Syrian military scientific centre. "The facility at Masyaf also produces chemical weapons and explosive barrels that have killed thousands of Syrian civilians," Yadlin said in the tweet. There was no independent confirmation that this was the target but the United Nations has said in the past that the Syrian government has carried out chemical weapons attacks, which Damascus denies. Israeli officials have also previously said that Israel and Russia, another Assad ally, maintain regular contacts to coordinate military action in Syria. Jets flying over Lebanon overnight broke the sound barrier and Lebanese media reported that some Israeli jets had breached Lebanese airspace.

Israeli planes strike Syria's Hama province

A US fighter jet shot down a Syrian regime plane Sunday after it dropped bombs on American-backed forces fighting the Islamic State group in northern Syria, the US-led coalition said.

The incident came as a monitoring group reported the first ground fighting between Syrian regime troops and the US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.

&quot;At 6:43 pm (1743 GMT), a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a US F/A-18E Super Hornet,&quot; the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement.

It said that two hours earlier, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad attacked SDF fighters in the town of Ja&#39;Din south of Tabqah, &quot;wounding a number of SDF fighters and driving the SDF from the town.&quot;

Coalition aircraft then stopped the pro-regime forces&#39; initial advance with a &quot;show of force,&quot; the coalition added.

The Combined Joint Task Force stressed that the coalition&#39;s mission is to defeat IS.

&quot;The Coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian, or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend Coalition or partner forces from any threat,&quot; it said.

&quot;The demonstrated hostile intent and actions of pro-regime forces toward Coalition and partner forces in Syria conducting legitimate counter-ISIS operations will not be tolerated.&quot;

Following the downing of the Syrian plane, clashes between regime troops and coalition-backed fighters broke out in two villages some 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the city of Raqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The incident came as a monitoring group reported the first ground fighting between Syrian regime troops and the US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters

A US fighter jet shot down a Syrian regime plane Sunday after it dropped bombs on American-backed forces fighting the Islamic State group in northern Syria, the US-led coalition said. The incident came as a monitoring group reported the first ground fighting between Syrian regime troops and the US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters. "At 6:43 pm (1743 GMT), a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a US F/A-18E Super Hornet," the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement. It said that two hours earlier, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad attacked SDF fighters in the town of Ja'Din south of Tabqah, "wounding a number of SDF fighters and driving the SDF from the town." Coalition aircraft then stopped the pro-regime forces' initial advance with a "show of force," the coalition added. The Combined Joint Task Force stressed that the coalition's mission is to defeat IS. "The Coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian, or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend Coalition or partner forces from any threat," it said. "The demonstrated hostile intent and actions of pro-regime forces toward Coalition and partner forces in Syria conducting legitimate counter-ISIS operations will not be tolerated." Following the downing of the Syrian plane, clashes between regime troops and coalition-backed fighters broke out in two villages some 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the city of Raqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

US shot down Syrian plane that bombed coalition-backed fighters

More than 1,000 insurgents and their families left an opposition-held district of Damascus on Monday, completing an agreement between the Syrian government and rebels, Syrian state media outlets and a war monitoring group said.

Well over 3,000 people have left Qaboun in two days of evacuations, paving the way for the government to regain control of the area, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

They headed for areas still under opposition control east of the Syrian capital, or for the northwestern province of Idlib, also held by insurgents, it said.

Syria&#39;s military released a statement saying it had &quot;returned peace and security to the Qaboun area&quot; after killing many insurgents and blowing up tunnels they had used for supplies.

&quot;This strengthened the perimeter of security around Damascus and chokes the terrorist groups&quot; to the east, it said, referring to rebels.

Damascus has done a number of similar deals in recent months with the Syrian opposition, supported in some cases by Syria&#39;s ally Iran and Qatar, which backs the rebels. The government sees the deals as an alternative to failing peace talks.

The opposition says the agreements amount to forced displacement of President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s opponents from areas around the capital, and are often reached after months or years of siege by government forces and their allies.

The United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement.

State TV quoted the Damascus provincial governor as saying that Qaboun &quot;is empty of militants&quot;. It said army engineering teams had entered the district, on the city&#39;s northeastern edge, to begin clearing it of mines and unexploded ordnance.

The Observatory said 1,300 rebel fighters and their families had left on Monday. On Sunday, more than 2,000 rebels and their family members left Qaboun, state media said.

State TV said several hundred fighters had decided to stay in the district under the agreement as government forces took control.

Many residents and some rebels have chosen to stay, preferring not to move to Idlib, areas of which are frequently targeted by air strikes.

(Reuters)

Well over 3,000 people have left Qaboun in two days of evacuations, paving the way for the government to regain control of the area, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said

More than 1,000 insurgents and their families left an opposition-held district of Damascus on Monday, completing an agreement between the Syrian government and rebels, Syrian state media outlets and a war monitoring group said. Well over 3,000 people have left Qaboun in two days of evacuations, paving the way for the government to regain control of the area, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. They headed for areas still under opposition control east of the Syrian capital, or for the northwestern province of Idlib, also held by insurgents, it said. Syria's military released a statement saying it had "returned peace and security to the Qaboun area" after killing many insurgents and blowing up tunnels they had used for supplies. "This strengthened the perimeter of security around Damascus and chokes the terrorist groups" to the east, it said, referring to rebels. Damascus has done a number of similar deals in recent months with the Syrian opposition, supported in some cases by Syria's ally Iran and Qatar, which backs the rebels. The government sees the deals as an alternative to failing peace talks. The opposition says the agreements amount to forced displacement of President Bashar al-Assad's opponents from areas around the capital, and are often reached after months or years of siege by government forces and their allies. The United Nations has criticised both the use of siege tactics which precede such deals and the evacuations themselves as amounting to forcible displacement. State TV quoted the Damascus provincial governor as saying that Qaboun "is empty of militants". It said army engineering teams had entered the district, on the city's northeastern edge, to begin clearing it of mines and unexploded ordnance. The Observatory said 1,300 rebel fighters and their families had left on Monday. On Sunday, more than 2,000 rebels and their family members left Qaboun, state media said. State TV said several hundred fighters had decided to stay in the district under the agreement as government forces took control. Many residents and some rebels have chosen to stay, preferring not to move to Idlib, areas of which are frequently targeted by air strikes. (Reuters)

Last 1,000 rebels leave Damascus district under evacuation deal

Syria&#39;s government has reached a deal with rebels in the Qabun neighbourhood of Damascus for the evacuation of opposition fighters, Syrian state media and a monitor said on Saturday.

The deal comes after similar evacuations from neighbouring rebel-held Damascus districts and a government advance in Qabun.

&quot;Military operations halted in Qabun district this afternoon after the terrorist organisations announced their acceptance of a deal and the departure of their remaining members from the neighbourhood,&quot; state news agency SANA reported on Saturday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor also reported that rebels in the district had agreed a deal to evacuate, but said it was not yet clear where the fighters would go.

Earlier talks on a deal to allow the regime to retake the neighbourhood in exchange for safe passage of opposition fighters faltered over the rebels` destination.

Some had wanted to go to Eastern Ghouta, an opposition stronghold outside Damascus city, instead of Idlib province, a rebel-held area in northwest Syria.

Earlier Saturday, government forces had advanced inside Qabun, expanding their control to 80 percent of the district, the Britain-based Observatory said.

The Qabun agreement comes after similar deals to evacuate neighbouring Barzeh and Tishrin districts.

On Friday, upwards of 1,200 people, more than half of them rebels, left Barzeh and Tishrin for Idlib.

The evacuation of Barzeh began on Monday and continued Friday, when departures from Tishrin began after an agreement was reached.

The evacuations are the latest in a string of similar deals between the government and rebels under which opposition fighters are granted safe passage in exchange for surrendering. 
The government touts the deals as the best way to end the six-year war, but rebels say they are forced into the agreements by regime fire and siege.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

(AFP)

Syria's government has reached a deal with rebels in the Qabun neighbourhood of Damascus for the evacuation of opposition fighters

Syria's government has reached a deal with rebels in the Qabun neighbourhood of Damascus for the evacuation of opposition fighters, Syrian state media and a monitor said on Saturday. The deal comes after similar evacuations from neighbouring rebel-held Damascus districts and a government advance in Qabun. "Military operations halted in Qabun district this afternoon after the terrorist organisations announced their acceptance of a deal and the departure of their remaining members from the neighbourhood," state news agency SANA reported on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor also reported that rebels in the district had agreed a deal to evacuate, but said it was not yet clear where the fighters would go. Earlier talks on a deal to allow the regime to retake the neighbourhood in exchange for safe passage of opposition fighters faltered over the rebels` destination. Some had wanted to go to Eastern Ghouta, an opposition stronghold outside Damascus city, instead of Idlib province, a rebel-held area in northwest Syria. Earlier Saturday, government forces had advanced inside Qabun, expanding their control to 80 percent of the district, the Britain-based Observatory said. The Qabun agreement comes after similar deals to evacuate neighbouring Barzeh and Tishrin districts. On Friday, upwards of 1,200 people, more than half of them rebels, left Barzeh and Tishrin for Idlib. The evacuation of Barzeh began on Monday and continued Friday, when departures from Tishrin began after an agreement was reached. The evacuations are the latest in a string of similar deals between the government and rebels under which opposition fighters are granted safe passage in exchange for surrendering. The government touts the deals as the best way to end the six-year war, but rebels say they are forced into the agreements by regime fire and siege. More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. (AFP)

Deal reached to evacuate rebel-held Damascus district: State media

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that de-escalation zones proposed by his ally Russia were a chance for rebels to &quot;reconcile&quot; with Damascus and drive out Islamist militants, but vowed to fight on calling U.N.-led peace talks fruitless.

Assad pledged, in an interview with Belarusian TV Channel ONT aired on Thursday, to defend the zones and to crush, with the support of Iran and Hezbollah, those who try to breach them.

Efforts over the past year to halt the six-year&nbsp;Syrian war have fallen flat, and a ceasefire agreed to by the government side and rebels in December was violated early on.

Russia&#39;s proposal for zones took effect last week, covering areas in the west of the country and Damascus has suggested there could be a role for Russian military police.

Assad said the primary aim was to protect civilians.

&quot;The second goal is to give the militants who want reconciliation with the state a chance ... to settle their cases, hand over their weapons in return for amnesty,&quot; he said.

Damascus has said rebels should help drive jihadist groups out of the de-escalation zones, and sees so-called reconciliation agreements, which have involved the evacuation of rebels from besieged areas, as an alternative to peace talks.

Violence reduced somewhat after the de-escalation zones were announced last week, but heavy fighting persists in some areas.

Syria&#39;s opposition rejected the Russian plan, calling it a threat to the country&#39;s territorial integrity and refusing to recognise Iran as a guarantor of any ceasefire plan.

Assad said he was &quot;not tired&quot; and would continue to fight terrorists - the government&#39;s term for all insurgents.&nbsp;

He also said U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered strikes against a&nbsp;Syrian air base last month - a response to an alleged chemical attack against civilians - in order to &quot;present his credentials&quot; to U.S. political and lobby groups.

Trump said at the time that Assad&#39;s government had gone &quot;beyond a red line&quot; with a poison gas attack on civilians and said his attitude toward&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;and Assad had changed.

Syria&nbsp;denies carrying out the attack.

(Reuters)

Russia's proposal for zones took effect last week, covering areas in the west of the country and Damascus has suggested there could be a role for Russian military police.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that de-escalation zones proposed by his ally Russia were a chance for rebels to "reconcile" with Damascus and drive out Islamist militants, but vowed to fight on calling U.N.-led peace talks fruitless. Assad pledged, in an interview with Belarusian TV Channel ONT aired on Thursday, to defend the zones and to crush, with the support of Iran and Hezbollah, those who try to breach them. Efforts over the past year to halt the six-year Syrian war have fallen flat, and a ceasefire agreed to by the government side and rebels in December was violated early on. Russia's proposal for zones took effect last week, covering areas in the west of the country and Damascus has suggested there could be a role for Russian military police. Assad said the primary aim was to protect civilians. "The second goal is to give the militants who want reconciliation with the state a chance ... to settle their cases, hand over their weapons in return for amnesty," he said. Damascus has said rebels should help drive jihadist groups out of the de-escalation zones, and sees so-called reconciliation agreements, which have involved the evacuation of rebels from besieged areas, as an alternative to peace talks. Violence reduced somewhat after the de-escalation zones were announced last week, but heavy fighting persists in some areas. Syria's opposition rejected the Russian plan, calling it a threat to the country's territorial integrity and refusing to recognise Iran as a guarantor of any ceasefire plan. Assad said he was "not tired" and would continue to fight terrorists - the government's term for all insurgents. He also said U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered strikes against a Syrian air base last month - a response to an alleged chemical attack against civilians - in order to "present his credentials" to U.S. political and lobby groups. Trump said at the time that Assad's government had gone "beyond a red line" with a poison gas attack on civilians and said his attitude toward Syria and Assad had changed. Syria denies carrying out the attack. (Reuters)

De-escalation zones chance for rebels to 'reconcile': Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

US Navy Admiral Michelle Howard said on Saturday US cruise missile strikes on an air base in Syria had destroyed the means to deliver chemical weapons from that base, and the US military remained ready to carry out further strikes if needed.

Howard, the four-star officer who leads US Naval Forces in Europe and Africa, told Reuters the United States had decided to launch the strikes after the United Nations failed to pass a resolution condemning a deadly chemical weapons attack that killed scores of people in rebel-held Khan Sheikhoun.

Washington has blamed the Syrian government for the attack on Tuesday. The Syrian government has strongly denied responsibility and blamed the deaths on leaks from a rebel chemical arms store it says was hit by a Syrian air strike.

&quot;We conducted strikes against an air field which was the means by which the chemicals were launched into the air. Those means don&#39;t exist now,&quot; Howard said in an interview during a missile defence event in Cologne.

&quot;We saw the misuse of chemical weapons and said, &#39;OK, we need to send a very clear message&#39;&quot;.

Asked about the US military&#39;s plan for how to deal with any potential further attacks, Howard said the military was ready to respond if other civilian options failed.

&quot;As the civilian leadership works through what their options are, if other options don&#39;t pan out, then it&#39;s generally the military that gets asked to do something.&quot;

Howard declined to give any details about the flight path of the missiles, or the US military assessment of the damage caused, but said she was confident the strikes had hit their intended target.

&quot;The intention was to take out the airfield and to remove the means of the delivery of chemical weapons. I feel that was accomplished,&quot; she said.

The cruise missiles were launched by two ships in the European region, the USS Porter and the USS Ross, in close coordination with US Central Command, which is responsible for West Asia.

Howard lauded the quick action taken by the commanders and crews of the two ships in response to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

Howard said the integration of the strikes was &quot;flawless&quot; and showed the ability of the US Navy to project power around the world.

(Reuters)

Washington has blamed the Syrian government for the chemical attack on Tuesday

US Navy Admiral Michelle Howard said on Saturday US cruise missile strikes on an air base in Syria had destroyed the means to deliver chemical weapons from that base, and the US military remained ready to carry out further strikes if needed. Howard, the four-star officer who leads US Naval Forces in Europe and Africa, told Reuters the United States had decided to launch the strikes after the United Nations failed to pass a resolution condemning a deadly chemical weapons attack that killed scores of people in rebel-held Khan Sheikhoun. Washington has blamed the Syrian government for the attack on Tuesday. The Syrian government has strongly denied responsibility and blamed the deaths on leaks from a rebel chemical arms store it says was hit by a Syrian air strike. "We conducted strikes against an air field which was the means by which the chemicals were launched into the air. Those means don't exist now," Howard said in an interview during a missile defence event in Cologne. "We saw the misuse of chemical weapons and said, 'OK, we need to send a very clear message'". Asked about the US military's plan for how to deal with any potential further attacks, Howard said the military was ready to respond if other civilian options failed. "As the civilian leadership works through what their options are, if other options don't pan out, then it's generally the military that gets asked to do something." Howard declined to give any details about the flight path of the missiles, or the US military assessment of the damage caused, but said she was confident the strikes had hit their intended target. "The intention was to take out the airfield and to remove the means of the delivery of chemical weapons. I feel that was accomplished," she said. The cruise missiles were launched by two ships in the European region, the USS Porter and the USS Ross, in close coordination with US Central Command, which is responsible for West Asia. Howard lauded the quick action taken by the commanders and crews of the two ships in response to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. Howard said the integration of the strikes was "flawless" and showed the ability of the US Navy to project power around the world. (Reuters)

Cruise missile strike on Syrian air base destroyed its means to deliver chemical weapons: US Admiral

The US&nbsp;fired 59 Tomahawk cruise&nbsp;missiles at the Syrian airbase which it says was responsible for unleashing the chemical attack on Tuesday which killed at least 70 people.&nbsp;

The results of the US strike are still being determined, and the numbers known now will undoubtedly change.

AFP cites Syrian state media, SANA, as reporting&nbsp;that 9 people have been killed, four of them children. They say that all of the 9 are civilians. The Syrian army has said that several have been wounded. The precise number, and the extent of the injuries, is unknown.

The Guardian quotes Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenko as saying that &quot;the combat efficiency of the US strike was very low&quot;, adding, &quot;only 23 of the 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles reached the Shayrat air base in the province of Homs&quot;.

Konashenko said that six MiG-23 fighter jets that were under repairs had been destroyed, but that no war planes in the base were damaged.

(WION)

&nbsp;

This was the first time the US directly attacked Assad in 6 years of war. As far as is currently known, these are the results

The US fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian airbase which it says was responsible for unleashing the chemical attack on Tuesday which killed at least 70 people. The results of the US strike are still being determined, and the numbers known now will undoubtedly change. AFP cites Syrian state media, SANA, as reporting that 9 people have been killed, four of them children. They say that all of the 9 are civilians. The Syrian army has said that several have been wounded. The precise number, and the extent of the injuries, is unknown. The Guardian quotes Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenko as saying that "the combat efficiency of the US strike was very low", adding, "only 23 of the 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles reached the Shayrat air base in the province of Homs". Konashenko said that six MiG-23 fighter jets that were under repairs had been destroyed, but that no war planes in the base were damaged. (WION)

What did the US' strike against Syria achieve?

More than 800 health workers have died in &quot;acts of war crimes&quot; in Syria since 2011, in hospital bombings, shootings, torture and executions perpetrated mainly by government-backed forces, researchers said on Wednesday.

The Syrian government and its ally, Russia, have turned the violent withholding of healthcare into a weapon of war, according to an analysis published in The Lancet medical journal.

This &quot;weaponisation&quot; of healthcare, it said, &quot;has translated into hundreds of health workers killed, hundreds more incarcerated or tortured and hundreds of health facilities deliberately and systematically attacked&quot;.

In the crosshairs, an estimated 15,000 doctors -- about half the pre-war number -- fled the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians without access to basic care.

&quot;The international community has left these violations of international humanitarian and human rights law largely unanswered,&quot; the authors of the report said.

It was compiled by experts from universities in Beirut, Britain and the United States, as well as the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and Multi-Aid Programs, an NGO.

The data they gathered showed that 782 health workers were killed from March 2011 to September last year.

Of the total, 247 (32 per cent) were doctors, 176 (23 per cent) nurses and 146 (19 per cent) medics, according to Physicians for Human Rights, a nonprofit group.&nbsp;

The rest included pharmacists, medical students, ambulance workers and veterinarians who were added to the list because they were killed while treating people.

Shelling and bombing of hospitals and clinics accounted for 426 (55 per cent) of deaths, the report said.

&#39;Decimated&#39; region

Shootings of medical professionals followed with 180 deaths (23 per cent), torture with 101 (13 per cent) and executions with 61 (eight per cent).

Since September 2016, at least 32 more lost their lives, &quot;which brings the total number of health workers killed in acts of war crimes over the six years of the conflict to 814,&quot; the study said.

This was probably a gross underestimate, it added.

The war in Syria has killed at least 320,000 people and displaced millions in six years.

The evidence suggested that the Syrian government targeted medics as a strategy, and to an extent never before seen in war, the researchers said.

The majority of the attacks on health facilities, 94 per cent, were the work of &quot;the Syrian government and its allies, including Russia&quot;.

&quot;With the military surge that began in late September 2015, when Russia joined Syrian government forces, 2016 marked the worst year of the conflict to date in terms of attacks on medical facilities,&quot; the study said.

The SAMS reported 194 verified attacks last year, an 89-per cent increase from 2015.

Almost a third of Syrians now live in areas with no health workers whatsoever, and another third are in areas with insufficient care, the report said.

Nearly half of hospitals were reported to be damaged.

A case in point: the Kafr Zita Cave Hospital in Hama has been bombed 33 times since 2014, including six times so far this year. And M10, an underground hospital in Aleppo, was attacked 19 times in three years before it was razed in October 2016.

While the remaining doctors -- many of them students or juniors with little experience -- brave the storm, international leaders have taken &quot;little action on bringing the perpetrators to justice&quot;, the authors said.

The Lancet, in an editorial, pointed to &quot;grievous failings by the global health community and international governance.&quot;

It called on the World Health Organization to raise funds to prop up the health infrastructure and health workers in Syria&nbsp;and to mobilise international support to resolve the humanitarian crisis.

&quot;An entire region and its people have been decimated while the world has watched,&quot; the journal said. &quot;Health and development will take decades to catch up.&quot;

(AFP)

According to the report, about 15,000 doctors fled the country leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians without access to basic care

More than 800 health workers have died in "acts of war crimes" in Syria since 2011, in hospital bombings, shootings, torture and executions perpetrated mainly by government-backed forces, researchers said on Wednesday. The Syrian government and its ally, Russia, have turned the violent withholding of healthcare into a weapon of war, according to an analysis published in The Lancet medical journal. This "weaponisation" of healthcare, it said, "has translated into hundreds of health workers killed, hundreds more incarcerated or tortured and hundreds of health facilities deliberately and systematically attacked". In the crosshairs, an estimated 15,000 doctors -- about half the pre-war number -- fled the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians without access to basic care. "The international community has left these violations of international humanitarian and human rights law largely unanswered," the authors of the report said. It was compiled by experts from universities in Beirut, Britain and the United States, as well as the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and Multi-Aid Programs, an NGO. The data they gathered showed that 782 health workers were killed from March 2011 to September last year. Of the total, 247 (32 per cent) were doctors, 176 (23 per cent) nurses and 146 (19 per cent) medics, according to Physicians for Human Rights, a nonprofit group. The rest included pharmacists, medical students, ambulance workers and veterinarians who were added to the list because they were killed while treating people. Shelling and bombing of hospitals and clinics accounted for 426 (55 per cent) of deaths, the report said. 'Decimated' region Shootings of medical professionals followed with 180 deaths (23 per cent), torture with 101 (13 per cent) and executions with 61 (eight per cent). Since September 2016, at least 32 more lost their lives, "which brings the total number of health workers killed in acts of war crimes over the six years of the conflict to 814," the study said. This was probably a gross underestimate, it added. The war in Syria has killed at least 320,000 people and displaced millions in six years. The evidence suggested that the Syrian government targeted medics as a strategy, and to an extent never before seen in war, the researchers said. The majority of the attacks on health facilities, 94 per cent, were the work of "the Syrian government and its allies, including Russia". "With the military surge that began in late September 2015, when Russia joined Syrian government forces, 2016 marked the worst year of the conflict to date in terms of attacks on medical facilities," the study said. The SAMS reported 194 verified attacks last year, an 89-per cent increase from 2015. Almost a third of Syrians now live in areas with no health workers whatsoever, and another third are in areas with insufficient care, the report said. Nearly half of hospitals were reported to be damaged. A case in point: the Kafr Zita Cave Hospital in Hama has been bombed 33 times since 2014, including six times so far this year. And M10, an underground hospital in Aleppo, was attacked 19 times in three years before it was razed in October 2016. While the remaining doctors -- many of them students or juniors with little experience -- brave the storm, international leaders have taken "little action on bringing the perpetrators to justice", the authors said. The Lancet, in an editorial, pointed to "grievous failings by the global health community and international governance." It called on the World Health Organization to raise funds to prop up the health infrastructure and health workers in Syria and to mobilise international support to resolve the humanitarian crisis. "An entire region and its people have been decimated while the world has watched," the journal said. "Health and development will take decades to catch up." (AFP)

Over 800 health workers killed in Syrian 'war crimes': Report

The ancient ruins of Palmyra are perhaps the most&nbsp;fascinating among the many archaeological gems of Syria.&nbsp;When Syrians talk about Palmyra, their voice fills with pride; it is entrenched in their national identity. For centuries, the city attracted and hosted travellers, merchants and visitors from all over the world.

This pride has turned into anxiety after what is being currently happening to Palmyra.&nbsp;

The Islamic State invaded Palmyra for the first time in May 2015, unleashing terror&nbsp;against the city. They begun destroying statues, then they blew up the Temple of Baalshamin and the Temple of Bel. Centuries of human history were destroyed in a few months.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/temple_of_baal-shamin,_palmyra-20170213102516.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Palmyra&#39;s Temple of Baal-Shamin. (Photo courtesy: Bernard Gagnon). (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/temple_of_bel,_palmyra_02-20170213103847.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Palmyra&#39;s Temple of Bel. (Photo courtesy: Bernard Gagnon). (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

Khaled al-Asaad the famous Syrian archaeologist who was head of antiquities for the ancient city of Palmyra tried his best to hide many of Palmyra&#39;s treasures from the Islamic State&#39;s&nbsp;pillage&nbsp;. He succeeded but paid with his life: an IS masked executioner cut off his head. His body was tied to a traffic light with his head between his feet.&nbsp;

In March 2016, the Syrian army recaptured Palmyra, but<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-fighters-re-enter-ancient-palmyra-in-syria-after-heavy-fighting-9991"> it lost it again in December </a>when an aggressive Islamic State, suffering militarly both in Mosul and Syria, destroyed the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-destroys-famous-monument-in-syrias-palmyra-11504">Tetrapylon</a> and part of the Roman Theatre.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/palmyra-tetrapylon-20170213104429.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Palmyra&#39;s Tetrapylon. (Photo courtesy: Heretiq). (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/palmyra_theater02(js)-20170213101956.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Palmyra&#39;s Roman Theatre. (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

The Islamic State is still in control of Palmyra, all the citizens of the neighbouring town of Tadmur have fled. There are&nbsp;currently no witnesses&nbsp;on the ground. The picture we published in this article represent all monuments which have been heavily&nbsp;damaged, if not completely destroyed.&nbsp;The city was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world and it is one of UNESCO&#39;s top world heritage sites.

The Russian army has recently published a video showing the sites which have been damaged or destroyed.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="videos-block">
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zt3n-XFNEpg"></iframe></div>
</div>

<div class="media-description">
Russian defence ministry drone footage reveals damage caused by the Islamic State to UNESCO sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra. (Reuters)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

The Islamic State is still in control of Palmyra, all citizens in the neighbouring town of Tadmur have fled

The ancient ruins of Palmyra are perhaps the most fascinating among the many archaeological gems of Syria. When Syrians talk about Palmyra, their voice fills with pride; it is entrenched in their national identity. For centuries, the city attracted and hosted travellers, merchants and visitors from all over the world. This pride has turned into anxiety after what is being currently happening to Palmyra. The Islamic State invaded Palmyra for the first time in May 2015, unleashing terror against the city. They begun destroying statues, then they blew up the Temple of Baalshamin and the Temple of Bel. Centuries of human history were destroyed in a few months. Palmyra's Temple of Baal-Shamin. (Photo courtesy: Bernard Gagnon). (Others) × Palmyra's Temple of Bel. (Photo courtesy: Bernard Gagnon). (Others) × Khaled al-Asaad the famous Syrian archaeologist who was head of antiquities for the ancient city of Palmyra tried his best to hide many of Palmyra's treasures from the Islamic State's pillage . He succeeded but paid with his life: an IS masked executioner cut off his head. His body was tied to a traffic light with his head between his feet. In March 2016, the Syrian army recaptured Palmyra, but it lost it again in December when an aggressive Islamic State, suffering militarly both in Mosul and Syria, destroyed the Tetrapylon and part of the Roman Theatre. Palmyra's Tetrapylon. (Photo courtesy: Heretiq). (Others) × Palmyra's Roman Theatre. (Others) × The Islamic State is still in control of Palmyra, all the citizens of the neighbouring town of Tadmur have fled. There are currently no witnesses on the ground. The picture we published in this article represent all monuments which have been heavily damaged, if not completely destroyed. The city was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world and it is one of UNESCO's top world heritage sites. The Russian army has recently published a video showing the sites which have been damaged or destroyed. Russian defence ministry drone footage reveals damage caused by the Islamic State to UNESCO sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra. (Reuters) × (WION)

Russia releases drone footage showing destruction in Syria's Palmyra

&quot;The army arrested me in 2012 in Palmyra. They kept me in jail there, alone, for 15 days and beating was very hard. I was lashed with sticks and belts. Then they moved me to Damascus, I was held as a&nbsp;prisoner in&nbsp;Section 291,&quot; says Abu Alabas on the phone. &nbsp;

Abu Alabas&nbsp;is from Palmyra, Syria. He took part in the uprising against Syria&#39;s President Bashar Al-Assad, reason for which the army arrested him.

(WION is collecting several&nbsp;<a href="http://?http://www.wionews.com/world/abuse-torture-sexual-assault-in-syrias-prisons-12141">testimonies</a> of Syrians who experienced torture and violence in custody)&nbsp; &nbsp;

Section 291 is an infamous place among Syrian dissidents. It is one of the several temporary detention centres run by Syrian security services. Many of these places started functioning during the demonstrations demanding more democracy and participation from President Bashar Al-Assad. Regular jails were not enough to contain all those who were arrested. &nbsp;

The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) drew a map to pinpoint these places and gathered 200 testimonies. When profiling Section 291&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media/images/photographs/2012_Torture_Damascus_EN.jpg">they wrote&nbsp;that</a> &nbsp;&#39;beating; beating with objects; shabeh; electrocution; threats against detainee; exposure to cold; threats against family members; sexual abuse&#39; were all documented torture methods.&nbsp;

Shabeh seems to be common in Syrian detention centres. According to survivors who were imprisoned by the Islamic State, the terrorist organisation also uses this method extensively.

This method uses&nbsp;hanging a person to the ceiling by the wrists, sometimes with the arms rotating&nbsp;behind their back. Then the prisoner is lifted enough to impede the feet to touch the floor. The entire bodyweight is on the wrists and this prevents blood to reach the hands which starts swelling and paining. If a prisoner is handcuffed during the process, the handcuffs cut and penetrate the flash every time he or she moves. While the person is hanging in tremendous pain, jailers often walk in the cell to beat him or her. &nbsp;

&quot;They gave us very little food, enough to survive. In one room there were 18 men. They (the guards) did not beat me as hard as in Palmyra, but I saw when they were beating the others. They were using all methods of torture. People were tied by their wrists to the roof. Others were made to stand for&nbsp;days or deprived of sleep. Guards pulled off prisoners&#39; nails,&quot; reminds Abu Alabas.&nbsp;

&quot;Why were you arrested?&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Because I was part of the revolution.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Were you with the Free Syrian Army (FSA)?&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Yes.&quot;&nbsp;

Abu Alabas was an active member of the anti-Assad front, he was fighting against the regular army within the ranks of the Free Syrian Army. In the first stage of Syria&#39;s uprising, the FSA gathered both civilians and military personnel who refused to shoot at protesters and deserted. The organisation later dissolved due to lack of funds and support and many of its members either abandoned the country or ended up fighting with the Islamic state or Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham, formerly Al-Nusra. It is not clear if the FSA still plays any relevant role in the Syrian conflict, many even&nbsp;question&nbsp;its existence. &nbsp;

In 2012, the Free Syrian Army was at war against regular Syrian forces. From the government perspective, they were leading an armed uprising and it had to be repressed. A government has a formal license to arrest individuals who raise weapons against them, but this does not, in any case, entitle to physical and psychological torture, beating or random executions. All these are internationally recognised as violation of human rights, whoever the perpetrator.&nbsp;

&quot;After four months I ran away from the jail in Damascus,&quot; says Abu Alabas(voice cracking with emotion)&nbsp;

&quot;Where did you go?&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I crossed the Turkish border. I live in Turkey now, I was a computer engineer in Palmyra, but I have no job.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;What about the option of going back to your country?&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I cannot go back to my country because if the army catches me they are going to put me in jail. I also cannot go back to my house because there is Daesh (the Arabic name for ISIS) and they will kill me if I go there. There is no one living in Palmyra today. The only option I have is if I reach the city of Idlib with the Free Syrian Army... but, not easy... mushkila (problem). I hope I will go back one day, inshallah,&quot; says Abu Alabas before wrapping up the conversation.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

People were tied by their wrists to the roof. Others were made to stand for days, an ex-prisoner of the Assad govt said

"The army arrested me in 2012 in Palmyra. They kept me in jail there, alone, for 15 days and beating was very hard. I was lashed with sticks and belts. Then they moved me to Damascus, I was held as a prisoner in Section 291," says Abu Alabas on the phone. Abu Alabas is from Palmyra, Syria. He took part in the uprising against Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad, reason for which the army arrested him. (WION is collecting several testimonies of Syrians who experienced torture and violence in custody) Section 291 is an infamous place among Syrian dissidents. It is one of the several temporary detention centres run by Syrian security services. Many of these places started functioning during the demonstrations demanding more democracy and participation from President Bashar Al-Assad. Regular jails were not enough to contain all those who were arrested. The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) drew a map to pinpoint these places and gathered 200 testimonies. When profiling Section 291 they wrote that 'beating; beating with objects; shabeh; electrocution; threats against detainee; exposure to cold; threats against family members; sexual abuse' were all documented torture methods. Shabeh seems to be common in Syrian detention centres. According to survivors who were imprisoned by the Islamic State, the terrorist organisation also uses this method extensively. This method uses hanging a person to the ceiling by the wrists, sometimes with the arms rotating behind their back. Then the prisoner is lifted enough to impede the feet to touch the floor. The entire bodyweight is on the wrists and this prevents blood to reach the hands which starts swelling and paining. If a prisoner is handcuffed during the process, the handcuffs cut and penetrate the flash every time he or she moves. While the person is hanging in tremendous pain, jailers often walk in the cell to beat him or her. "They gave us very little food, enough to survive. In one room there were 18 men. They (the guards) did not beat me as hard as in Palmyra, but I saw when they were beating the others. They were using all methods of torture. People were tied by their wrists to the roof. Others were made to stand for days or deprived of sleep. Guards pulled off prisoners' nails," reminds Abu Alabas. "Why were you arrested?" "Because I was part of the revolution." "Were you with the Free Syrian Army (FSA)?" "Yes." Abu Alabas was an active member of the anti-Assad front, he was fighting against the regular army within the ranks of the Free Syrian Army. In the first stage of Syria's uprising, the FSA gathered both civilians and military personnel who refused to shoot at protesters and deserted. The organisation later dissolved due to lack of funds and support and many of its members either abandoned the country or ended up fighting with the Islamic state or Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham, formerly Al-Nusra. It is not clear if the FSA still plays any relevant role in the Syrian conflict, many even question its existence. In 2012, the Free Syrian Army was at war against regular Syrian forces. From the government perspective, they were leading an armed uprising and it had to be repressed. A government has a formal license to arrest individuals who raise weapons against them, but this does not, in any case, entitle to physical and psychological torture, beating or random executions. All these are internationally recognised as violation of human rights, whoever the perpetrator. "After four months I ran away from the jail in Damascus," says Abu Alabas(voice cracking with emotion) "Where did you go?" "I crossed the Turkish border. I live in Turkey now, I was a computer engineer in Palmyra, but I have no job." "What about the option of going back to your country?" "I cannot go back to my country because if the army catches me they are going to put me in jail. I also cannot go back to my house because there is Daesh (the Arabic name for ISIS) and they will kill me if I go there. There is no one living in Palmyra today. The only option I have is if I reach the city of Idlib with the Free Syrian Army... but, not easy... mushkila (problem). I hope I will go back one day, inshallah," says Abu Alabas before wrapping up the conversation. (WION)

Syria's government detention centre survivor recalls torture, beating

&quot;We are ready to negotiate about everything,&quot; said Syrian President Bashar Al Assad referring to the proposed peace talks in Kazakhstan between his government and the many rebel groups active in the country.&nbsp;

Asked if that included his position as president, he said &quot;yes but my position is linked to the constitution&quot;. He said that whatever change needs to be applied to the constitution it must come after a referendum, giving to Syrians the chance to decide.

It is still unclear when the peace talk will be held and who will sit around the table to negotiate. The decision to held such meeting came shortly after the so called rebels suffered their final defeat in eastern Aleppo.

The peace talks have been pushed forward due to continued accuations of ceasfire violations between the parts.

The anti-Assad &quot;Free Syrian Army&quot; earlier this month said they had frozen any talks due to violations of the ceasefire, chiefly in the city of Wadi Barada near Damascus.

The Syrian army backed by its Lebanese ally Hezbollah has been trying to recapture the Wadi Barada valley where Syria&#39;s capital main water source is located.

According&nbsp;to Assad, the area was held by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, &nbsp;a jihadist group not covered by the ceasefire. &quot;The terrorists occupy the main water source for Damascus, denying more than 5 million civilians water for more than three weeks,&quot; he said. &quot;The Syrian army&#39;s role is to liberate that area,&quot;

Assad said that any discussion of &quot;Syrian issues&quot; must be held between Syrian groups and he pointed out that many of the rebel brigades are funded by foreign powers, specifically Saudi Arabia, France and Britain. He pointed out that the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee, is backed by Riyadh.

&quot;Who will be there from the other side? We do not yet know. Will it be a real Syrian opposition?&quot;, he asked provocatively.

Referring to the campaigning&nbsp;to retake the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital city of the Islamic State, President Assad said that it is his country&#39;s duty to defeat the terrorist organisation.&nbsp;

Currently a numerous militia made of Arabs and Kurds, the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) is fighting to clean and secure the many villages surrounding the city. The People&#39;s Protection Unit (YPG) are the backbone of these forces and have claimed many times to be willing to retain the territories they liberated and fund an autonomous democratic&nbsp;and self-ruled region.

Assad&#39;s project is clear though, &quot;every inch&quot; of Syrian land and all Syria should be under state authority.

(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

He claimed to be ready to even discuss his presidential office if Syrians were willing to vote

"We are ready to negotiate about everything," said Syrian President Bashar Al Assad referring to the proposed peace talks in Kazakhstan between his government and the many rebel groups active in the country. Asked if that included his position as president, he said "yes but my position is linked to the constitution". He said that whatever change needs to be applied to the constitution it must come after a referendum, giving to Syrians the chance to decide. It is still unclear when the peace talk will be held and who will sit around the table to negotiate. The decision to held such meeting came shortly after the so called rebels suffered their final defeat in eastern Aleppo. The peace talks have been pushed forward due to continued accuations of ceasfire violations between the parts. The anti-Assad "Free Syrian Army" earlier this month said they had frozen any talks due to violations of the ceasefire, chiefly in the city of Wadi Barada near Damascus. The Syrian army backed by its Lebanese ally Hezbollah has been trying to recapture the Wadi Barada valley where Syria's capital main water source is located. According to Assad, the area was held by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, a jihadist group not covered by the ceasefire. "The terrorists occupy the main water source for Damascus, denying more than 5 million civilians water for more than three weeks," he said. "The Syrian army's role is to liberate that area," Assad said that any discussion of "Syrian issues" must be held between Syrian groups and he pointed out that many of the rebel brigades are funded by foreign powers, specifically Saudi Arabia, France and Britain. He pointed out that the main Syrian opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee, is backed by Riyadh. "Who will be there from the other side? We do not yet know. Will it be a real Syrian opposition?", he asked provocatively. Referring to the campaigning to retake the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital city of the Islamic State, President Assad said that it is his country's duty to defeat the terrorist organisation. Currently a numerous militia made of Arabs and Kurds, the Syrian Democratic Force (SDF) is fighting to clean and secure the many villages surrounding the city. The People's Protection Unit (YPG) are the backbone of these forces and have claimed many times to be willing to retain the territories they liberated and fund an autonomous democratic and self-ruled region. Assad's project is clear though, "every inch" of Syrian land and all Syria should be under state authority. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Syria's President Assad says is ready to negotiate 'everything' in future peace talks with rebels

At least 25,000 people have left the bombed-out eastern districts of Syria&#39;s Aleppo since evacuations began last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday.

&quot;Yesterday (Monday) only, we evacuated 15,000 people from east Aleppo. If we consider those evacuated on Thursday too, then the total should be 25,000,&quot; spokeswoman Ingy Sedky told AFP.

She said &quot;thousands&quot; of others were still waiting to be bussed out, amid a lack of information on the numbers of civilians and fighters remaining in east Aleppo.

The ICRC has been overseeing the complex evacuation deal for Aleppo, brokered by government backer Russia and rebel supporter Turkey,&nbsp;

After a month-long assault by government forces, thousands of civilians and rebels left the last remaining opposition-held districts of east Aleppo last Thursday at the start of the evacuations.

The deal was suspended until early Monday over government demands for the simultaneous evacuation of two Shiite-majority villages in northwest Syria besieged by rebels.&nbsp;

Sedky confirmed that 750 people had thus far been bussed out of the villages of Fuaa and Kafraya, in Syria&#39;s mainly rebel-held Idlib province, as part of the deal.&nbsp;

More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

(AFP)

Red Cross spokeswoman Ingy Sedky told AFP 15,000 people were evacuated from east Aleppo on Monday alone

At least 25,000 people have left the bombed-out eastern districts of Syria's Aleppo since evacuations began last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday. "Yesterday (Monday) only, we evacuated 15,000 people from east Aleppo. If we consider those evacuated on Thursday too, then the total should be 25,000," spokeswoman Ingy Sedky told AFP. She said "thousands" of others were still waiting to be bussed out, amid a lack of information on the numbers of civilians and fighters remaining in east Aleppo. The ICRC has been overseeing the complex evacuation deal for Aleppo, brokered by government backer Russia and rebel supporter Turkey, After a month-long assault by government forces, thousands of civilians and rebels left the last remaining opposition-held districts of east Aleppo last Thursday at the start of the evacuations. The deal was suspended until early Monday over government demands for the simultaneous evacuation of two Shiite-majority villages in northwest Syria besieged by rebels. Sedky confirmed that 750 people had thus far been bussed out of the villages of Fuaa and Kafraya, in Syria's mainly rebel-held Idlib province, as part of the deal. More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP)

25,000 evacuated from Aleppo so far: Red Cross

Close to 8,000 civilians have been evacuated from the Syrian city of Aleppo with a sixth convoy currently &quot;en route to safety&quot;, a Turkish official said on Friday.

Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter that more than 7,000 civilians had been evacuated in the first five convoys.

The evacuation, from the last rebel bastion in Aleppo, began on Thursday under a ceasefire deal brokered by Turkey and Russia that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

(Reuters)

The official also said that a sixth convoy was currently 'en route to safety'

Close to 8,000 civilians have been evacuated from the Syrian city of Aleppo with a sixth convoy currently "en route to safety", a Turkish official said on Friday. Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter that more than 7,000 civilians had been evacuated in the first five convoys. The evacuation, from the last rebel bastion in Aleppo, began on Thursday under a ceasefire deal brokered by Turkey and Russia that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Reuters)

Close to 8,000 civilians evacuated from Aleppo: Turkish official

Syria&#39;s pro-Assad forces and militias under Iranian command captured about 90 per cent of the opposition-held areas of eastern Aleppo, The Daily Beast reports.

The rebels are withdrawing in defeat, as the last chance at receiving reinforcements and supplies seems to be about nil as pro-regime forces have cut off the supply lines, The Daily Beast reports.

Today has seen intense bombings of houses and apartment buildings, and the destruction is reported to be on such an enormous scale that the death toll for now cannot be calculated, and&nbsp;the neighbourhoods of Bustan al-Qasr, al-Kallasa, al-Farod and al-Salhin in the Old City, as well as Sheikh Saed, in the southern district, are all now under regime control, The Daily Beast reports.

The White Helmets, or&nbsp;Syrian Civil Defense, an internationally renowned team of first responders, said more than 90 bodies of people presumed to be still alive are under debris, and that its volunteer staff reported they could hear&nbsp;children trapped in the rubbles of their houses, The Daily Beast reports.

Opposition media have circulated unconfirmed reports that atrocities have already begun, such as the summary execution of civilians including women and children, The Daily Beast reports.&nbsp;

These reports could not be independetly verified by The Daily Beast or WION.

However, UNHCR spokesperson Rupert Colville said, &quot;In all, as of yesterday evening, we have received reports of pro-Government forces killing at least 82 civilians (including 11 women and 13 children) in four different neighbourhoods -- Bustan al-Qasr, al-Ferdous, al-Kallaseh, and al-Saleheen.&quot;

The official Syrian news agency SANA claimed that eight people were killed and 47 were injured in regime-held Aleppo after opposition fighters bombed the city. Most of the victims were women and children, according to the agency.

Reuters reported a military source as saying that the last rebel pocked could fall &quot;any moment&quot;.

Some Syrian residents and activists&nbsp;spent the day<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-activists-tweet-final-goodbyes-as-aleppo-offensive-nears-end-10097"> on social media saying goodbye</a>, warning that they were about to be killed.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="videos-block">
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Xb_5vddx3w"></iframe></div>
</div>

<div class="media-description">
The Syrian army and its allies are in the &quot;Final stages&quot; of recapturing Aleppo after a sudden advance that has pushed rebels to the brink of collapse (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

(WION)

The United Nations has reports 82 people were 'summarily shot dead' in recaptured neighbourhoods

Syria's pro-Assad forces and militias under Iranian command captured about 90 per cent of the opposition-held areas of eastern Aleppo, The Daily Beast reports. The rebels are withdrawing in defeat, as the last chance at receiving reinforcements and supplies seems to be about nil as pro-regime forces have cut off the supply lines, The Daily Beast reports. Today has seen intense bombings of houses and apartment buildings, and the destruction is reported to be on such an enormous scale that the death toll for now cannot be calculated, and the neighbourhoods of Bustan al-Qasr, al-Kallasa, al-Farod and al-Salhin in the Old City, as well as Sheikh Saed, in the southern district, are all now under regime control, The Daily Beast reports. The White Helmets, or Syrian Civil Defense, an internationally renowned team of first responders, said more than 90 bodies of people presumed to be still alive are under debris, and that its volunteer staff reported they could hear children trapped in the rubbles of their houses, The Daily Beast reports. Opposition media have circulated unconfirmed reports that atrocities have already begun, such as the summary execution of civilians including women and children, The Daily Beast reports. These reports could not be independetly verified by The Daily Beast or WION. However, UNHCR spokesperson Rupert Colville said, "In all, as of yesterday evening, we have received reports of pro-Government forces killing at least 82 civilians (including 11 women and 13 children) in four different neighbourhoods -- Bustan al-Qasr, al-Ferdous, al-Kallaseh, and al-Saleheen." The official Syrian news agency SANA claimed that eight people were killed and 47 were injured in regime-held Aleppo after opposition fighters bombed the city. Most of the victims were women and children, according to the agency. Reuters reported a military source as saying that the last rebel pocked could fall "any moment". Some Syrian residents and activists spent the day on social media saying goodbye, warning that they were about to be killed. The Syrian army and its allies are in the "Final stages" of recapturing Aleppo after a sudden advance that has pushed rebels to the brink of collapse (WION) × (WION)

Assad's forces seize Aleppo, The Daily Beast claims 'butchering' civilians

Islamic State militants have &quot;re-entered&quot; the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria, almost 10 months after the city was captured from them by the Syrian government backed by Russia, a war monitor said according to Reuters.

The jihadist group had advanced to its&nbsp;outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, it added.&nbsp;

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and mountains around it. The group&#39;s news agency Amaq said that it had taken the strategic Jabal al Tar and Jabal Antara mountains, Reuters reported.

The group had launched an offensive on the city earlier this week.

The Syrian army earlier said it had sent reinforcements to Palmyra. However, some rebels said the forces deployed were from&nbsp;Aleppo which was&nbsp;forcing the Syrian government to divert troops from the city which is already under carnage due to fight between IS rebels and government.

The militants were pushing towards the T4 airbase, one of Syria&#39;s major military bases, near Palmyra city and which Russian forces have been using to support the Syrian army.

The assault, which began late on Thursday, had killed dozens of Syrian soldiers, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

&nbsp;(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The militants had entered Palmyra after taking strategic heights near the city and capturing its northern part earlier this week

Islamic State militants have "re-entered" the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria, almost 10 months after the city was captured from them by the Syrian government backed by Russia, a war monitor said according to Reuters. The jihadist group had advanced to its outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, it added. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and mountains around it. The group's news agency Amaq said that it had taken the strategic Jabal al Tar and Jabal Antara mountains, Reuters reported. The group had launched an offensive on the city earlier this week. The Syrian army earlier said it had sent reinforcements to Palmyra. However, some rebels said the forces deployed were from Aleppo which was forcing the Syrian government to divert troops from the city which is already under carnage due to fight between IS rebels and government. The militants were pushing towards the T4 airbase, one of Syria's major military bases, near Palmyra city and which Russian forces have been using to support the Syrian army. The assault, which began late on Thursday, had killed dozens of Syrian soldiers, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Islamic State fighters 're-enter' ancient Palmyra in Syria after heavy fighting

Syrian warplanes again pounded Aleppo&#39;s last rebel-held districts today, as the United States said American and Russian officials would meet in a bid to save the city from &quot;complete&quot; destruction.

With the fighting resuming after a brief respite, the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority.

US officials will meet tomorrow with their Russian counterparts in Geneva to try to stop Aleppo &quot;being absolutely, completely destroyed&quot;, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

He was in Paris for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Western and Arab backers of Syria&#39;s weakened opposition, also tomorrow.

Kerry was not upbeat about the chances of success, however, as key regime ally Russia vowed that the assault would not end until rebels leave Aleppo.

&quot;I know people are tired of these meetings, I&#39;m tired of these meetings,&quot; Kerry said.

&quot;But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend... While people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?&quot;

Government strikes had halted briefly from yesterday night, when Moscow announced a pause in the regime offensive to allow the evacuation of civilians, although shelling did not cease.

Syria&#39;s army is three weeks into a battle to retake east Aleppo from rebels who are now confined to just a few neighbourhoods in their former bastion.

The city&#39;s loss would be the biggest blow for the rebels in Syria&#39;s nearly six-year-old war, which has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced over half the country&#39;s population.

Tens of thousands of civilians have fled east Aleppo in recent weeks, although the United Nations said today it had received reports that rebels had blocked some from leaving.

It also expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing to government-held territory.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported at least a dozen air strikes on rebel-held neighbourhoods today afternoon.

Artillery fire had continued throughout yesterday night and into today after Moscow&#39;s announcement, the monitor and an AFP correspondent in east Aleppo reported.

Syria&#39;s army has captured around 85 percent of east Aleppo, with rebels and remaining civilians confined to a shrinking space in increasingly grim conditions.

East Aleppo has been encircled by the regime since mid-July, with international aid provisions exhausted and remaining food supplies dwindling even before the government assault began in mid-November.

The AFP correspondent said fleeing civilians had seen bodies in the streets of one neighbourhood because the intensity of the bombardment made it too dangerous to retrieve the dead.

(AFP)

The UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority

Syrian warplanes again pounded Aleppo's last rebel-held districts today, as the United States said American and Russian officials would meet in a bid to save the city from "complete" destruction. With the fighting resuming after a brief respite, the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority. US officials will meet tomorrow with their Russian counterparts in Geneva to try to stop Aleppo "being absolutely, completely destroyed", US Secretary of State John Kerry said. He was in Paris for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Western and Arab backers of Syria's weakened opposition, also tomorrow. Kerry was not upbeat about the chances of success, however, as key regime ally Russia vowed that the assault would not end until rebels leave Aleppo. "I know people are tired of these meetings, I'm tired of these meetings," Kerry said. "But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend... While people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?" Government strikes had halted briefly from yesterday night, when Moscow announced a pause in the regime offensive to allow the evacuation of civilians, although shelling did not cease. Syria's army is three weeks into a battle to retake east Aleppo from rebels who are now confined to just a few neighbourhoods in their former bastion. The city's loss would be the biggest blow for the rebels in Syria's nearly six-year-old war, which has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced over half the country's population. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled east Aleppo in recent weeks, although the United Nations said today it had received reports that rebels had blocked some from leaving. It also expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing to government-held territory. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported at least a dozen air strikes on rebel-held neighbourhoods today afternoon. Artillery fire had continued throughout yesterday night and into today after Moscow's announcement, the monitor and an AFP correspondent in east Aleppo reported. Syria's army has captured around 85 percent of east Aleppo, with rebels and remaining civilians confined to a shrinking space in increasingly grim conditions. East Aleppo has been encircled by the regime since mid-July, with international aid provisions exhausted and remaining food supplies dwindling even before the government assault began in mid-November. The AFP correspondent said fleeing civilians had seen bodies in the streets of one neighbourhood because the intensity of the bombardment made it too dangerous to retrieve the dead. (AFP)

US, Russia to meet as Syrian army pounds Aleppo rebels

&nbsp;As many as 10,500 people have left eastern Aleppo in the last 24 hours, Russian Defence Ministry official Sergei Rudskoi said on Friday.

In comments broadcast on state television, Rudskoi said the Syrian army had taken 93 per cent of Aleppo and freed 52 blocks from opposition fighters. He said the Russian and Syrian air forces had not operated over the city since October 18.

(Reuters)

Russian Defence Ministry official Sergei Rudskoi said the Syrian army had taken 93 per cent of Aleppo

As many as 10,500 people have left eastern Aleppo in the last 24 hours, Russian Defence Ministry official Sergei Rudskoi said on Friday. In comments broadcast on state television, Rudskoi said the Syrian army had taken 93 per cent of Aleppo and freed 52 blocks from opposition fighters. He said the Russian and Syrian air forces had not operated over the city since October 18. (Reuters)

Russia says 10,500 people have left eastern Aleppo in last 24 hours

The executive body of the global chemical weapons watchdog voted on Friday to condemn the use of banned toxic agents by the Syrian government and by the militant group Islamic State, a source who took part in the closed session said.

Roughly two-thirds of the 41 members on the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), endorsed a text compiled by Spain, sources told Reuters.

An initial US&nbsp;draft was replaced with a compromise text drafted by Spain, which dropped a reference to sanctions against those responsible for violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention, sources added.

The OPCW&#39;s Executive Council, which meets behind closed doors, seldom votes on such matters, generally operating through consensus. But this text was supported by 28 members, including Germany, France, the United States, and Britain.

It was opposed by Russia, China, Sudan, and Iran. There were nine abstentions. Russia and Iran are Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s main allies against rebels seeking to overthrow him. Western and Gulf Arab states back the rebels.

&quot;There is a clear determination across the international community to hold those who have used these heinous weapons to account,&quot; said British foreign minister Boris Johnson in a statement responding to the vote.

But a US-Russian split over Syria highlighted continuing divisions. It was these two countries that in 2013 took the lead in getting the Damascus government to join the OPCW and avert threatened US-led military intervention in Syria&#39;s civil war.

A 13-month international inquiry by the OPCW and United Nations concluded in a series of reports that Syrian government forces, including helicopter squadrons, were responsible for the use of chlorine barrel bombs against civilians.

The OPCW-UN&nbsp;mission found that the Syrian government carried out three toxic attacks in March and April of last year, while Islamic State militants had used sulphur mustard gas.

The findings set the stage for a U.N. Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, likely pitting Russia and China against the United States, Britain, and France over how those responsible for the attacks should be held accountable.

Syrian authorities deny having used chemical weapons in the conflict. Islamic State has not commented.

(Reuters)

Roughly two-thirds of the 41 members on the Executive Council of OPCW endorsed a text compiled by Spain

The executive body of the global chemical weapons watchdog voted on Friday to condemn the use of banned toxic agents by the Syrian government and by the militant group Islamic State, a source who took part in the closed session said. Roughly two-thirds of the 41 members on the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), endorsed a text compiled by Spain, sources told Reuters. An initial US draft was replaced with a compromise text drafted by Spain, which dropped a reference to sanctions against those responsible for violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention, sources added. The OPCW's Executive Council, which meets behind closed doors, seldom votes on such matters, generally operating through consensus. But this text was supported by 28 members, including Germany, France, the United States, and Britain. It was opposed by Russia, China, Sudan, and Iran. There were nine abstentions. Russia and Iran are Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main allies against rebels seeking to overthrow him. Western and Gulf Arab states back the rebels. "There is a clear determination across the international community to hold those who have used these heinous weapons to account," said British foreign minister Boris Johnson in a statement responding to the vote. But a US-Russian split over Syria highlighted continuing divisions. It was these two countries that in 2013 took the lead in getting the Damascus government to join the OPCW and avert threatened US-led military intervention in Syria's civil war. A 13-month international inquiry by the OPCW and United Nations concluded in a series of reports that Syrian government forces, including helicopter squadrons, were responsible for the use of chlorine barrel bombs against civilians. The OPCW-UN mission found that the Syrian government carried out three toxic attacks in March and April of last year, while Islamic State militants had used sulphur mustard gas. The findings set the stage for a U.N. Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, likely pitting Russia and China against the United States, Britain, and France over how those responsible for the attacks should be held accountable. Syrian authorities deny having used chemical weapons in the conflict. Islamic State has not commented. (Reuters)

Watchdog condemns Syrian government, IS use of banned chemical weapons

The Pentagon said on Wednesday that US air strikes in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group may have killed 119 civilians since 2014, a figure far lower than casualty estimates by monitoring groups.

The figures released by Centcom, the US military command in the Middle East, came from a months-long review of reports and databases, it said, adding that the deaths and injuries stemmed from 24 air strikes.

London-based NGO Airways estimates coalition bombing has killed 1,787 civilians since the air campaign to destroy the Islamic State group began in August 2014.

&quot;We have teams who work full time to prevent unintended civilian casualties,&quot; Colonel John Thomas was quoted as saying in the Centcom statement.

&quot;We do all we can to minimise those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time.&quot;

The Pentagon&#39;s investigation found that &quot;in each of these strikes the right processes were followed; each complied with Law of Armed Conflict and significant precautions were taken, despite the unfortunate outcome,&quot; Thomas said.

The United States, which carries out 80 per cent of the coalition bombing, says it uses precision-guided munitions that limit civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, Russia is accused of using conventional bombs that are much more deadly to civilian populations.

Amnesty International estimates that there have been at least 300 civilian victims in Syria alone from coalition strikes.

The number of casualties has risen sharply since the start of the coalition&#39;s campaign in late 2015 to lay the groundwork to take back IS strongholds in Mosul, Iraq and Raqa, Syria.

(AFP)

The figure is far lower than estimates by rights groups

The Pentagon said on Wednesday that US air strikes in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group may have killed 119 civilians since 2014, a figure far lower than casualty estimates by monitoring groups. The figures released by Centcom, the US military command in the Middle East, came from a months-long review of reports and databases, it said, adding that the deaths and injuries stemmed from 24 air strikes. London-based NGO Airways estimates coalition bombing has killed 1,787 civilians since the air campaign to destroy the Islamic State group began in August 2014. "We have teams who work full time to prevent unintended civilian casualties," Colonel John Thomas was quoted as saying in the Centcom statement. "We do all we can to minimise those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time." The Pentagon's investigation found that "in each of these strikes the right processes were followed; each complied with Law of Armed Conflict and significant precautions were taken, despite the unfortunate outcome," Thomas said. The United States, which carries out 80 per cent of the coalition bombing, says it uses precision-guided munitions that limit civilian casualties. Meanwhile, Russia is accused of using conventional bombs that are much more deadly to civilian populations. Amnesty International estimates that there have been at least 300 civilian victims in Syria alone from coalition strikes. The number of casualties has risen sharply since the start of the coalition's campaign in late 2015 to lay the groundwork to take back IS strongholds in Mosul, Iraq and Raqa, Syria. (AFP)

Pentagon: US strikes may have killed 119 civilians in Iraq, Syria since 2014

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday a Marshall plan was needed for Syria, similar to a Western agreement to help post-war Germany.

Speaking after talks with his Syrian and Iranian counterparts in Moscow, Lavrov said unlawful sanctions against Syria would harm its civilian population and there was no alternative to a political solution to the country&#39;s civil war.

(Reuters)

The Marshall Plan was an American initiative to aid Western Europe in which the US gave $12 billion in economic support after World War II

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday a Marshall plan was needed for Syria, similar to a Western agreement to help post-war Germany. Speaking after talks with his Syrian and Iranian counterparts in Moscow, Lavrov said unlawful sanctions against Syria would harm its civilian population and there was no alternative to a political solution to the country's civil war. (Reuters)

Marshall plan needed for Syria: Russia's Lavrov

One Turkish soldier was killed and three slightly wounded in a clash with Islamic State fighters in Syria in which 18 militants were &quot;neutralised&quot;, the Turkish military said in a statement on Wednesday.

Separately, US-led coalition warplanes launched nine air strikes on Islamic State targets in northern Syria, &quot;neutralising&quot; five militants, the statement said in a daily round up on a Turkish-backed military operation in Syria launched in August.

(Reuters)

The Turkish military said in a statement that three Turkish soldiers were also slightly wounded in a clash with the Islamic State

One Turkish soldier was killed and three slightly wounded in a clash with Islamic State fighters in Syria in which 18 militants were "neutralised", the Turkish military said in a statement on Wednesday. Separately, US-led coalition warplanes launched nine air strikes on Islamic State targets in northern Syria, "neutralising" five militants, the statement said in a daily round up on a Turkish-backed military operation in Syria launched in August. (Reuters)

Turkish soldier killed, 18 IS fighters 'neutralised' in Syria clash

The New York Times released a recording on Friday, in which US secretary of state John Kerry sounds exasperated that his diplomatic efforts to end Syria&#39;s civil war were not supported by the US military.&nbsp;

In the leaked audio recording, Kerry could be heard saying &quot;I think you&#39;re looking at three people, four people in the administration who have all argued for use of force, and I lost the argument.&quot; The conversation was recorded in New York where Kerry was talking to a group of Syrian civilians, on&nbsp;the sidelines of UNGA.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve argued for the use of force ... but things evolved into a different process.&quot;

&quot;Look, I get it, a lot of us wish there was an enforcement mechanism right now. A lot of us have been fighting for one, but we don&#39;t have one right now and that&#39;s set,&quot; he warned.

&quot;We&#39;re trying to pursue the diplomacy, and I understand it&#39;s frustrating. You have nobody more frustrated than we are,&quot; he told the Syrians.&nbsp;

State department spokesman John Kirby did not deny that the audio clip was authentic, &quot;While we will decline to comment on a private conversation, Secretary Kerry was grateful for the chance to meet with this group of Syrians, to hear their concerns first hand and to express our continued focus on ending this civil war.&quot;

According to AFP, Kerry has been pushing US President Barack Obama to take a more robust path in Syria to force President Bashar al-Assad out.&nbsp;

In August 2013, after Assad had been accused of firing chemical weapons at civilians, Kerry gave a ferocious speech that was seen as prefiguring a retaliatory US military strike -- only for Obama to back down only hours later.

He also referred to the incident in the recording&nbsp;but blamed the US Congress for not voting to authorise military action against Assad.&nbsp;

During the meeting, the Syrians had expressed frustration that the US was only focused on fighting the Islamic State group and have overlooked Assad and his forces.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

US secretary of state Kerry pushed for use of military action to end the Syrian war in the leaked audio interaction with a group of Syrians

The New York Times released a recording on Friday, in which US secretary of state John Kerry sounds exasperated that his diplomatic efforts to end Syria's civil war were not supported by the US military. In the leaked audio recording, Kerry could be heard saying "I think you're looking at three people, four people in the administration who have all argued for use of force, and I lost the argument." The conversation was recorded in New York where Kerry was talking to a group of Syrian civilians, on the sidelines of UNGA. "I've argued for the use of force ... but things evolved into a different process." "Look, I get it, a lot of us wish there was an enforcement mechanism right now. A lot of us have been fighting for one, but we don't have one right now and that's set," he warned. "We're trying to pursue the diplomacy, and I understand it's frustrating. You have nobody more frustrated than we are," he told the Syrians. State department spokesman John Kirby did not deny that the audio clip was authentic, "While we will decline to comment on a private conversation, Secretary Kerry was grateful for the chance to meet with this group of Syrians, to hear their concerns first hand and to express our continued focus on ending this civil war." According to AFP, Kerry has been pushing US President Barack Obama to take a more robust path in Syria to force President Bashar al-Assad out. In August 2013, after Assad had been accused of firing chemical weapons at civilians, Kerry gave a ferocious speech that was seen as prefiguring a retaliatory US military strike -- only for Obama to back down only hours later. He also referred to the incident in the recording but blamed the US Congress for not voting to authorise military action against Assad. During the meeting, the Syrians had expressed frustration that the US was only focused on fighting the Islamic State group and have overlooked Assad and his forces. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Kerry laments lack of Syria options in leaked audio

There will be no talks of peace in Syria&nbsp;if Russia continues to bomb Aleppo, United States said on Wednesday.

US secretary of state John Kerry told Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov that plans to have a joint military cell to fight Islamic State have also been suspended, a US State Department official said.

&quot;He (Kerry)&nbsp;informed the foreign minister (Lavrov) that the United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria... unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities,&quot; spokesman John Kirby said.

US&#39;s tough talk comes amid Russia-backed Syrian military&#39;s continued&nbsp;bombardment of eastern half of Aleppo, a territory held by rebels supported by the US.&nbsp;

&quot;Secretary Kerry expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, particularly for continued&lrm; Russian and Syrian regime attacks on hospitals, the water supply network, and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo,&quot; AFP quoted Kirby as saying.

US&#39; comments come hours after two civilian hospitals and bakery came under heavy bombardment from Russia-backed warplanes in east Aleppo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On September 9, US and Russia had brokered a &quot;cessation of hostilities&quot; for a week but continued air strikes blew holes in the peace deal.&nbsp;US and Russia, long-time sparring partners, accused each other of breaching the ceasefire on separate occasions.

But both countries are scrambling to forge another ceasefire in the war-ravaged country. The civil war has left around 300,000 people dead since mid-2011.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Talks of a ceasefire will be suspended if Moscow supports air strikes on rebel-held parts of Aleppo, United States has warned

There will be no talks of peace in Syria if Russia continues to bomb Aleppo, United States said on Wednesday. US secretary of state John Kerry told Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov that plans to have a joint military cell to fight Islamic State have also been suspended, a US State Department official said. "He (Kerry) informed the foreign minister (Lavrov) that the United States is making preparations to suspend US-Russia bilateral engagement on Syria... unless Russia takes immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo and restore the cessation of hostilities," spokesman John Kirby said. US's tough talk comes amid Russia-backed Syrian military's continued bombardment of eastern half of Aleppo, a territory held by rebels supported by the US. "Secretary Kerry expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, particularly for continued‎ Russian and Syrian regime attacks on hospitals, the water supply network, and other civilian infrastructure in Aleppo," AFP quoted Kirby as saying. US' comments come hours after two civilian hospitals and bakery came under heavy bombardment from Russia-backed warplanes in east Aleppo. On September 9, US and Russia had brokered a "cessation of hostilities" for a week but continued air strikes blew holes in the peace deal. US and Russia, long-time sparring partners, accused each other of breaching the ceasefire on separate occasions. But both countries are scrambling to forge another ceasefire in the war-ravaged country. The civil war has left around 300,000 people dead since mid-2011. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Heavy bombing in Aleppo blows holes in Syria peace efforts

Nearly two million civilians were without water in Syria&#39;s second city of Aleppo on Saturday after regime bombardment damaged one pumping station and rebels shut down another in retaliation, the UN said. 
 
Rebel-held districts in the east of the city came under intense air and artillery fire for a fifth night as the army prepared a ground offensive to recapture the whole of the divided city. 
 
&quot;Intense attacks last night have damaged the Bab al-Nayrab water pumping station, which supplies water to some 250,000 people in the eastern parts of Aleppo,&quot; the UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF said. 
 
&quot;Violence is preventing repair teams from reaching the station. 
 
&quot;In retaliation, the Suleiman al-Halabi pumping station, also located in the east, was switched off, cutting water to 1.5 million people in the western parts of the city,&quot; which are held by the government. 
 
UNICEF said the loss of mains supply posed serious health risks in rebel-held areas as the only alternative source of drinking water was from highly contaminated wells. 
 
It said safer alternatives were available in government-held areas where there were deep groundwater wells. 
 
The agency said it would expand emergency water trucking throughout the city, but warned that was only a temporary solution that was unsustainable in the long term. 
 
&quot;It is critical for children&#39;s survival that all parties to the conflict stop attacks on water infrastructure, provide access to assess and repair damage to Bab al-Nayrab station, and switch the water back on at the Suleiman al-Halabi station.&quot; 
 
Aleppo was Syria&#39;s pre-war commercial and industrial hub but has been devastated by fighting since the rebels seized eastern districts of the city in 2012, making it a frontline battleground. 
 
The denial of access to food, water and medicines has been used repeatedly as a weapon by all sides in Syria&#39;s brutal five-year-old civil war. 
 
Nationwide hundreds of thousands of civilians are living under siege. 
 
(AFP)

Regime bombardment damaged one pumping station and rebels shut down another in retaliation

Nearly two million civilians were without water in Syria's second city of Aleppo on Saturday after regime bombardment damaged one pumping station and rebels shut down another in retaliation, the UN said. Rebel-held districts in the east of the city came under intense air and artillery fire for a fifth night as the army prepared a ground offensive to recapture the whole of the divided city. "Intense attacks last night have damaged the Bab al-Nayrab water pumping station, which supplies water to some 250,000 people in the eastern parts of Aleppo," the UN children's agency UNICEF said. "Violence is preventing repair teams from reaching the station. "In retaliation, the Suleiman al-Halabi pumping station, also located in the east, was switched off, cutting water to 1.5 million people in the western parts of the city," which are held by the government. UNICEF said the loss of mains supply posed serious health risks in rebel-held areas as the only alternative source of drinking water was from highly contaminated wells. It said safer alternatives were available in government-held areas where there were deep groundwater wells. The agency said it would expand emergency water trucking throughout the city, but warned that was only a temporary solution that was unsustainable in the long term. "It is critical for children's survival that all parties to the conflict stop attacks on water infrastructure, provide access to assess and repair damage to Bab al-Nayrab station, and switch the water back on at the Suleiman al-Halabi station." Aleppo was Syria's pre-war commercial and industrial hub but has been devastated by fighting since the rebels seized eastern districts of the city in 2012, making it a frontline battleground. The denial of access to food, water and medicines has been used repeatedly as a weapon by all sides in Syria's brutal five-year-old civil war. Nationwide hundreds of thousands of civilians are living under siege. (AFP)

Two million people without water in Syria's Aleppo: UN

Heavy Syrian and Russian air strikes on rebel-held eastern areas of Aleppo city killed at least 25 civilians on Saturday, a monitor said, overwhelming doctors and rescue workers. 
 
The toll was expected to rise because people remained trapped under rubble, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
The intense raids continued for a second night&nbsp;after Damascus announced an operation late on Thursday to recapture all of the city. 
 
Seven people were killed in a strike on the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood as they queued to buy yoghurt at a market. 
 
Bustan al-Qasr is along the front line that divides the government-held west from the rebel-held east of the city. 
 
The attack left a pool of blood and body parts strewn at the site, according to an AFP correspondent. 
 
On Friday at least 47 people were killed in heavy bombing, among them seven children, according to the Observatory. 
 
There was massive destruction in several neighbourhoods, including Al-Kalasseh and Bustan al-Qasr, where some streets were almost erased by the bombardment. 
 
Unexploded rockets were still buried in the roads in some areas, and elsewhere enormous craters around five metres (16 feet) deep and wide had been left by the bombing. 
 
Residents and activists described the use of a missile that produced earthquake-like tremors upon impact and razed buildings right down to the basement level where many residents desperately seek protection during the&nbsp;bombing. 
 
The civil defence organisation known as the White Helmets was left overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction, particularly after several of its bases were damaged in the&nbsp;bombing on Friday. 
 
The group says it has just two fire engines left for all of east Aleppo which, like its ambulances, are struggling to move around the city. 
 
With no electricity or fuel for generators, the streets of Aleppo are pitch black and difficult to navigate at night, and the fuel shortage has also made it tough to fill up vehicles. 
 
In many places, rubble strewn across streets has rendered them impassable and has effectively sealed off neighbourhoods to traffic. 
 
On Saturday morning, the streets were nearly empty, with just a few residents out looking for bread. 
 
The approximately 250,000 people in east Aleppo have been under near-continuous siege since government troops encircled the area in mid-July. 
 
A truce deal negotiated between Moscow and Washington brought a few days of respite from the violence, though no humanitarian aid, earlier this month. 
 
But the deal has fallen apart, and on Thursday the Syrian army announced an operation to retake all of Aleppo, urging civilians in the east to distance themselves from &quot;terrorists&quot; and promising them safe passage to government-controlled areas. 
 
(AFP)

The intense raids continued for a second night?after Damascus announced an operation late on Thursday to recapture all of the city

Heavy Syrian and Russian air strikes on rebel-held eastern areas of Aleppo city killed at least 25 civilians on Saturday, a monitor said, overwhelming doctors and rescue workers. The toll was expected to rise because people remained trapped under rubble, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The intense raids continued for a second night after Damascus announced an operation late on Thursday to recapture all of the city. Seven people were killed in a strike on the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood as they queued to buy yoghurt at a market. Bustan al-Qasr is along the front line that divides the government-held west from the rebel-held east of the city. The attack left a pool of blood and body parts strewn at the site, according to an AFP correspondent. On Friday at least 47 people were killed in heavy bombing, among them seven children, according to the Observatory. There was massive destruction in several neighbourhoods, including Al-Kalasseh and Bustan al-Qasr, where some streets were almost erased by the bombardment. Unexploded rockets were still buried in the roads in some areas, and elsewhere enormous craters around five metres (16 feet) deep and wide had been left by the bombing. Residents and activists described the use of a missile that produced earthquake-like tremors upon impact and razed buildings right down to the basement level where many residents desperately seek protection during the bombing. The civil defence organisation known as the White Helmets was left overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction, particularly after several of its bases were damaged in the bombing on Friday. The group says it has just two fire engines left for all of east Aleppo which, like its ambulances, are struggling to move around the city. With no electricity or fuel for generators, the streets of Aleppo are pitch black and difficult to navigate at night, and the fuel shortage has also made it tough to fill up vehicles. In many places, rubble strewn across streets has rendered them impassable and has effectively sealed off neighbourhoods to traffic. On Saturday morning, the streets were nearly empty, with just a few residents out looking for bread. The approximately 250,000 people in east Aleppo have been under near-continuous siege since government troops encircled the area in mid-July. A truce deal negotiated between Moscow and Washington brought a few days of respite from the violence, though no humanitarian aid, earlier this month. But the deal has fallen apart, and on Thursday the Syrian army announced an operation to retake all of Aleppo, urging civilians in the east to distance themselves from "terrorists" and promising them safe passage to government-controlled areas. (AFP)

Intense Syrian, Russian strikes kill 25 in Aleppo

Heavy bombardment of the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo has killed more than 70 people and has destroyed at least 40 buildings since Friday morning, Ammar al Selmo, the head of civil defence there, told Reuters. 
 
Warplanes targeted the rebel-held districts of Aleppo in a second day of intense bombardment on Friday after the Syrian army declared an offensive to fully capture what was Syria&#39;s biggest city before the war. 
 
Heaviest&nbsp;air&nbsp;strikes 
 
Warplanes launched some of the heaviest air strikes yet on rebel-held areas of Aleppo on Friday after the Russian-backed Syrian army declared an offensive to fully capture Syria&#39;s biggest city, killing off any hope of reviving a ceasefire. 
 
Residents said the streets were deserted as the 250,000 people still trapped in the besieged opposition-held sector of Aleppo sought shelter from jets. 
 
The rebels and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring body described raids by sophisticated jets they said must belong to Russia. Residents also spoke of attacks by helicopters using bombs made from oil drums, a tactic usually attributed to the Syrian army. 
 
&quot;Can you hear it? The neighbourhood is getting hit right now by missiles. We can hear the planes right now,&quot; Mohammad Abu Rajab, a radiologist, told Reuters. &quot;The planes are not leaving the sky, helicopters, barrel bombs, warplanes.&quot; 
 
The intensive bombardment left no doubt that the Syrian government and its Russian allies had spurned a plea from US&nbsp;Secretary of State John Kerry to halt flights to resurrect the ceasefire, which lasted a week before collapsing on Monday. 
 
A rebel commander said the blasts were the fiercest the city had faced. 
 
&quot;I woke up to a powerful earthquake though I was in a place far away from where the missile landed,&quot; he said in a voice recording sent to Reuters. His group had &quot;martyrs under the rubble&quot; in three locations. 
 
In a late night announcement on Thursday, the Syrian military announced &quot;the start of its operations in the eastern districts of Aleppo&quot;, and warned people to stay away from &quot;the headquarters and positions of the armed terrorist gangs&quot;. 
 
The statement gave no details of what the operation may entail - eastern Aleppo had already been the target of intense air strikes on Thursday. A source close to Damascus told Reuters on Friday a major ground operation had yet to begin. 
 
&quot;Military operations include everything, and of course the most important part is the ground operation,&quot; the source said. 
 
There was no immediate comment from the Russian or Syrian militaries on Friday&#39;s air strikes. 
 
The Syrian army&#39;s declaration of the offensive coincided with international meetings on Syria in New York, the latest diplomatic efforts officially intended to revive the truce, which was brokered by the United States and Russia. 
 
Its collapse, the same fate as all previous efforts to halt a 5-1/2-year-old war that has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians, has doomed what may be the final bid for a peace breakthrough before President Barack Obama leaves office. 
 
&#39;Annihilation&#39; 
 
The Syrian government, strengthened by Russian air power and Iranian-backed Shi&#39;ite militias, has been tightening its grip on rebel-held districts of Aleppo this year, and this summer achieved a long-held goal of fully encircling the area. 
 
The government already controls the city&#39;s western half, where fewer people have fled. Before the war, the city held nearly 3 million people and was Syria&#39;s economic hub. 
 
Recovering full control of Aleppo would be the most important victory of the war so far for President Bashar al-Assad, who has sought to consolidate his grip over the western cities where the overwhelming majority of Syrians lived before fighting drove half of the nation from its homes. 
 
The Observatory said there were at least 40 air strikes since midnight. 
 
Ammar al Selmo, the head of civil defence rescue service in opposition-held Aleppo, said three of its four centres in Aleppo had been hit. &quot;What&#39;s happening now is annihilation in every sense of the word,&quot; he told Reuters. &quot;Today the bombardment is more violent, with a larger number of planes.&quot; 
 
The US-Russian agreement marked their second attempt this year to halt the war. It was supposed to bring about a nationwide ceasefire, improved humanitarian aid access, and a joint US-Russian effort against jihadist groups including Islamic State and the Nusra Front, long al Qaeda&#39;s Syrian wing. 
 
&#39;Long, painful, difficult&#39; 
 
But the ceasefire collapsed into renewed bombardments on Monday, including an attack on aid convoy that Washington has blamed on Moscow, which denies involvement. 
 
Assad remains characteristically defiant, saying on Thursday he expected the conflict to &quot;drag on&quot; as long as it is part of a global conflict in which the groups fighting him are backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and the United States. 
 
On Thursday at the United Nations, the United States and Russia failed to agree on how to revive the ceasefire during what UN Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura called a &quot;long, painful, difficult and disappointing&quot; meeting. 
 
The International Syria Support Group, including Moscow, Washington and other major powers, met on the sidelines of the annual United Nations gathering of world leaders in New York. 
 
&quot;We have exchanged ideas with the Russians and we plan to consult tomorrow with respect to those ideas,&quot; Kerry said, expressing concern at the reports of the planned new Syrian offensive. &quot;I am no less determined today than I was yesterday but I am even more frustrated.&quot; 
 
Western states have backed Kerry&#39;s call to ground warplanes to create the right conditions for the truce. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault described Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov&#39;s response to that proposal as &quot;not satisfying.&quot;

(Reuters)

The Syrian army has declared an offensive to fully capture what was Syria's biggest city before the war

Heavy bombardment of the rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo has killed more than 70 people and has destroyed at least 40 buildings since Friday morning, Ammar al Selmo, the head of civil defence there, told Reuters. Warplanes targeted the rebel-held districts of Aleppo in a second day of intense bombardment on Friday after the Syrian army declared an offensive to fully capture what was Syria's biggest city before the war. Heaviest air strikes Warplanes launched some of the heaviest air strikes yet on rebel-held areas of Aleppo on Friday after the Russian-backed Syrian army declared an offensive to fully capture Syria's biggest city, killing off any hope of reviving a ceasefire. Residents said the streets were deserted as the 250,000 people still trapped in the besieged opposition-held sector of Aleppo sought shelter from jets. The rebels and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring body described raids by sophisticated jets they said must belong to Russia. Residents also spoke of attacks by helicopters using bombs made from oil drums, a tactic usually attributed to the Syrian army. "Can you hear it? The neighbourhood is getting hit right now by missiles. We can hear the planes right now," Mohammad Abu Rajab, a radiologist, told Reuters. "The planes are not leaving the sky, helicopters, barrel bombs, warplanes." The intensive bombardment left no doubt that the Syrian government and its Russian allies had spurned a plea from US Secretary of State John Kerry to halt flights to resurrect the ceasefire, which lasted a week before collapsing on Monday. A rebel commander said the blasts were the fiercest the city had faced. "I woke up to a powerful earthquake though I was in a place far away from where the missile landed," he said in a voice recording sent to Reuters. His group had "martyrs under the rubble" in three locations. In a late night announcement on Thursday, the Syrian military announced "the start of its operations in the eastern districts of Aleppo", and warned people to stay away from "the headquarters and positions of the armed terrorist gangs". The statement gave no details of what the operation may entail - eastern Aleppo had already been the target of intense air strikes on Thursday. A source close to Damascus told Reuters on Friday a major ground operation had yet to begin. "Military operations include everything, and of course the most important part is the ground operation," the source said. There was no immediate comment from the Russian or Syrian militaries on Friday's air strikes. The Syrian army's declaration of the offensive coincided with international meetings on Syria in New York, the latest diplomatic efforts officially intended to revive the truce, which was brokered by the United States and Russia. Its collapse, the same fate as all previous efforts to halt a 5-1/2-year-old war that has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians, has doomed what may be the final bid for a peace breakthrough before President Barack Obama leaves office. 'Annihilation' The Syrian government, strengthened by Russian air power and Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, has been tightening its grip on rebel-held districts of Aleppo this year, and this summer achieved a long-held goal of fully encircling the area. The government already controls the city's western half, where fewer people have fled. Before the war, the city held nearly 3 million people and was Syria's economic hub. Recovering full control of Aleppo would be the most important victory of the war so far for President Bashar al-Assad, who has sought to consolidate his grip over the western cities where the overwhelming majority of Syrians lived before fighting drove half of the nation from its homes. The Observatory said there were at least 40 air strikes since midnight. Ammar al Selmo, the head of civil defence rescue service in opposition-held Aleppo, said three of its four centres in Aleppo had been hit. "What's happening now is annihilation in every sense of the word," he told Reuters. "Today the bombardment is more violent, with a larger number of planes." The US-Russian agreement marked their second attempt this year to halt the war. It was supposed to bring about a nationwide ceasefire, improved humanitarian aid access, and a joint US-Russian effort against jihadist groups including Islamic State and the Nusra Front, long al Qaeda's Syrian wing. 'Long, painful, difficult' But the ceasefire collapsed into renewed bombardments on Monday, including an attack on aid convoy that Washington has blamed on Moscow, which denies involvement. Assad remains characteristically defiant, saying on Thursday he expected the conflict to "drag on" as long as it is part of a global conflict in which the groups fighting him are backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and the United States. On Thursday at the United Nations, the United States and Russia failed to agree on how to revive the ceasefire during what UN Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura called a "long, painful, difficult and disappointing" meeting. The International Syria Support Group, including Moscow, Washington and other major powers, met on the sidelines of the annual United Nations gathering of world leaders in New York. "We have exchanged ideas with the Russians and we plan to consult tomorrow with respect to those ideas," Kerry said, expressing concern at the reports of the planned new Syrian offensive. "I am no less determined today than I was yesterday but I am even more frustrated." Western states have backed Kerry's call to ground warplanes to create the right conditions for the truce. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault described Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's response to that proposal as "not satisfying." (Reuters)

Bombings in rebel-held Aleppo kill 70

syria-civil-war

Syria Civil War, News on Syria Civil War, stories on Syria Civil War, articles on Syria Civil War, Syria Civil War stories at Wion, Syria Civil War news, Syria Civil War latest news

syria civil-war