President Bashar-al-Assad is strapped for cash, losing the favour of western nations and having to fight on multiple fronts in the nation's decade long civil war. All this has left him with little choice to round up the country's business tycoons and get them to empty their pockets.

Family rift adds to Assad's woes: Once closest confidant, now sworn foe

The tensions continue to escalate in West Asia as Tukey and Syria have intensified their operations in the Idlib province. In the latest development, their multiple airstrikes by Turkey have claimed the lives of at least about 19 Syrian soldiers. Watch report:

Syrian civil war: Turkish airstrikes kill 19 Syrian soldiers

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Russia to "get out of our way" in northern Syria as his forces fight President Bashar Al-Assad's regime.

Turkey warns Russia to 'get out of our way' in northern Syria

33 Turkish soldiers died in an attack allegedly carried out by Syria. Turkey responded by 'bombing 200 Syrian targets'. This report tells you why the escalation could be a dangerous turn in this conflict.

Gravitas: War in Syria, Turkey-Syria conflict escalates

It's been 8 years when Aleppo welcomed first flight, the flight carried Syrian and International Journalists. Now Syria is hoping to resume regular flights to Aleppo.

Flight lands in Aleppo after 8 years

Syrian video journalist Abdallah al-Muhammad has turned the experience of air strikes and shelling near his home in northwest Syria's Idlib into a game for his three-year old daughter to help her cope with the trauma.

Syrian father and daughter turn sound of war into rosy game

As the battle for Idlib rages on, the Syrian government continues to pummel the rebel-held province with airstrikes. However, the minors are caught in the crossfire which has nothing to do with the civil war. Watch report:

Fineprint: Syrian civil war enters crucial phase, Minors caught in crossfire

Syrian government forces have taken control over dozens of towns and villages in Idlib and Aleppo. The Syrian army is advancing into the strategic town of Saraqib as it aims to regain territory held by rebels who want to remove President Bashar al-Assad's government.

WION Dispatch: Syrian army aims to retake strategic road

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-strike-kill-five-civilians-in-northwest-syria-monitor-275154">Russian airstrikes</a> killed 12 civilians Tuesday in northwestern Syria, as renewed violence tightened the noose around the country's last major opposition bastion and deepened an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Two of the victims were killed in a southern area of Idlib province while the other 10 died in a western region of neighbouring Aleppo province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The raids on Aleppo province killed eight members of the same <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-civilians-killed-as-syrian-government-presses-idlib-offensive-274750">family who were sheltering</a> in a house, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syria-missiles-kill-eight-in-school-turned-shelter-271451">Six children</a> were among those killed in the raid on the village of Kfar Taal, where three girls had already died a day earlier in strikes, according to the Britain-based monitor.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syrian-and-russian-jets-pound-idlib-province-274552">Syrian and Russian jets pound Idlib province</a>

Most of Idlib province and parts of Aleppo province are still controlled by factions opposed to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, including a group that includes onetime members of Al-Qaeda's former Syria franchise.

"Over the past three days, the bombardment on Idlib and its surroundings, including in western Aleppo, has been exclusively Russian," Abdel Rahman said.

The surge in violence comes despite a ceasefire announced by Russia earlier this month that never really took hold.

"They want to push rebels and jihadists away from the city of Aleppo and from the motorway linking Aleppo to Damascus," Abdel Rahman said.

He predicted that the airstrikes could be a prelude to a land offensive in western Aleppo, as the regime and its allies continue their drive to shrink the country's last opposition-held pocket.

"The regime has massed reinforcements on the outskirts of the city of Aleppo," Abdel Rahman said.

Russia has thousands of forces deployed across Syria in support of the army, while an unknown contingent of Russian private security personnel also operates on the ground.

Moscow's military intervention in 2015, four years into the Syrian conflict, helped keep Assad in power and marked a long, bloody reconquest of the territory lost to rebels in the early stages of the war.

The violence in northern Syria is escalating an already dire humanitarian situation, with aid groups warning of displacement on an unprecedented scale.

Idlib province alone is home to at least three million people, many of whom are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

According to the UN humanitarian coordination agency OCHA, almost 350,000 people have fled their homes since December 1, mainly heading northwards from southern Idlib, which has borne the brunt of the airstrikes.

The International Rescue Committee has warned that an additional 650,000 people, the majority of them children and women, could be forced from their homes if the violence continues.

Russian airstrikes killed 12 civilians Tuesday in northwestern Syria, as renewed violence tightened the noose around the country's last major opposition bastion and deepened an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Russian airstrikes killed 12 civilians Tuesday in northwestern Syria, as renewed violence tightened the noose around the country's last major opposition bastion and deepened an already dire humanitarian crisis. Two of the victims were killed in a southern area of Idlib province while the other 10 died in a western region of neighbouring Aleppo province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The raids on Aleppo province killed eight members of the same family who were sheltering in a house, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. Six children were among those killed in the raid on the village of Kfar Taal, where three girls had already died a day earlier in strikes, according to the Britain-based monitor. Also Read: Syrian and Russian jets pound Idlib province Most of Idlib province and parts of Aleppo province are still controlled by factions opposed to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, including a group that includes onetime members of Al-Qaeda's former Syria franchise. "Over the past three days, the bombardment on Idlib and its surroundings, including in western Aleppo, has been exclusively Russian," Abdel Rahman said. The surge in violence comes despite a ceasefire announced by Russia earlier this month that never really took hold. "They want to push rebels and jihadists away from the city of Aleppo and from the motorway linking Aleppo to Damascus," Abdel Rahman said. He predicted that the airstrikes could be a prelude to a land offensive in western Aleppo, as the regime and its allies continue their drive to shrink the country's last opposition-held pocket. "The regime has massed reinforcements on the outskirts of the city of Aleppo," Abdel Rahman said. Russia has thousands of forces deployed across Syria in support of the army, while an unknown contingent of Russian private security personnel also operates on the ground. Moscow's military intervention in 2015, four years into the Syrian conflict, helped keep Assad in power and marked a long, bloody reconquest of the territory lost to rebels in the early stages of the war. The violence in northern Syria is escalating an already dire humanitarian situation, with aid groups warning of displacement on an unprecedented scale. Idlib province alone is home to at least three million people, many of whom are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. According to the UN humanitarian coordination agency OCHA, almost 350,000 people have fled their homes since December 1, mainly heading northwards from southern Idlib, which has borne the brunt of the airstrikes. The International Rescue Committee has warned that an additional 650,000 people, the majority of them children and women, could be forced from their homes if the violence continues.

Russian air strikes in Syria kill 12 civilians: Monitor

Omar al-Tawil, a 15-year-old&nbsp;schoolboy in Damascus, is one of 24,000 Syrian&nbsp;youngsters now&nbsp;learning&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;at&nbsp;school&nbsp;after the country added the language of the government's most powerful ally to the curriculum.

Many&nbsp;young&nbsp;people in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thank-god-for-assassination-for-syrians-in-idlib-killing-of-soleimani-a-victory-273458">Syria</a>, where Moscow intervened in 2015 to help President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-will-not-withdraw-from-army-posts-in-syrias-idlib-270861">Bashar al-Assad </a>win back territory, are eager to study&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;in order to travel to Russia or work in&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;companies they expect to appear in Syria in the future.

"At first we didn't understand anything and when we first heard the words we started to laugh, it was hard," said Tawil. "The teachers are helping us to love this language."

Radwan Rahhal, Coordinator of the Russian&nbsp;language in the Syrian Education Ministry, said demand for the classes outstrips supply.

"We have more than 24,000 students who are&nbsp;learning&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;and the number is increasing. But we cannot expand more than this in the meantime unless we have more teachers."

The Syrian Education Ministry added&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;as an&nbsp;optional second foreign language in&nbsp;schools after English or French in 2014. Graduates in&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;literature willing to teach it to attend special courses supervised by experts from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-demands-punishment-compensation-for-airliner-downed-by-iran-273583">Moscow</a>.

Russian&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-fully-respect-iraqs-sovereignty-says-irans-un-ambassador-after-ballistic-missile-strike-273064">Vladimir Putin</a> visited Syria on Tuesday for the second time since Moscow's decisive intervention and met Assad in Damascus.

Russian&nbsp;and Iranian support has helped Assad win back nearly all the territory lost to rebels who tried to overthrow him in a civil war that grew out of a crackdown on opposition protests nearly nine years ago.

Omar al-Tawil, a 15-year-old schoolboy in Damascus, is one of 24,000 Syrian youngsters now learning Russian at school after the country added the language of the government's most powerful ally to the curriculum.

Omar al-Tawil, a 15-year-old schoolboy in Damascus, is one of 24,000 Syrian youngsters now learning Russian at school after the country added the language of the government's most powerful ally to the curriculum. Many young people in Syria, where Moscow intervened in 2015 to help President Bashar al-Assad win back territory, are eager to study Russian in order to travel to Russia or work in Russian companies they expect to appear in Syria in the future. "At first we didn't understand anything and when we first heard the words we started to laugh, it was hard," said Tawil. "The teachers are helping us to love this language." Radwan Rahhal, Coordinator of the Russian language in the Syrian Education Ministry, said demand for the classes outstrips supply. "We have more than 24,000 students who are learning Russian and the number is increasing. But we cannot expand more than this in the meantime unless we have more teachers." The Syrian Education Ministry added Russian as an optional second foreign language in schools after English or French in 2014. Graduates in Russian literature willing to teach it to attend special courses supervised by experts from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Syria on Tuesday for the second time since Moscow's decisive intervention and met Assad in Damascus. Russian and Iranian support has helped Assad win back nearly all the territory lost to rebels who tried to overthrow him in a civil war that grew out of a crackdown on opposition protests nearly nine years ago.

Syrian students opt to learn 'Russian' language at school for better future

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted a $3.07 billion operating budget which for the first time includes funding for the investigation of war crimes in Syria and Myanmar.

The budget represents a slight increase from 2019's figure of $2.9 billion.

The increase is due to additional missions assigned to the UN Secretariat, inflation and exchange rate adjustments, according to diplomats.

These include the observer mission in Yemen, a political mission established in Haiti, the investigation of crimes committed in Syria since the outbreak of civil war in 2011, and in Myanmar after the 2017 crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority.

For the first time, the budgets for the Syria and Myanmar investigations -- which were previously financed by voluntary contributions -- will in 2020 be transferred to the UN secretariat's budget and will receive compulsory contributions from the 193 member states.

Russia proposed multiple amendments during negotiations in the Committee on Budgetary Questions meeting and in the General Assembly plenary session.

At each vote, Russia, Syria, Myanmar and their supporters, including North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela, were outvoted. They all stated that they dissociated themselves from references to investigative mechanisms in the adopted resolutions.

Russia said it would examine its future obligatory payments in light of the vote outcome and predicted an increase in the arrears that currently plague the UN's treasury due to countries not paying enough.

Moscow argued Friday the investigative mechanism was illegitimate, while Damascus stressed that it had no mandate from the Security Council.

The UN's operating budget is separate from the annual budget for peacekeeping operations of some $6 billion that is adopted in June.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted a $3.07 billion operating budget which for the first time includes funding for the investigation of war crimes in Syria and Myanmar.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted a $3.07 billion operating budget which for the first time includes funding for the investigation of war crimes in Syria and Myanmar. The budget represents a slight increase from 2019's figure of $2.9 billion. The increase is due to additional missions assigned to the UN Secretariat, inflation and exchange rate adjustments, according to diplomats. These include the observer mission in Yemen, a political mission established in Haiti, the investigation of crimes committed in Syria since the outbreak of civil war in 2011, and in Myanmar after the 2017 crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority. For the first time, the budgets for the Syria and Myanmar investigations -- which were previously financed by voluntary contributions -- will in 2020 be transferred to the UN secretariat's budget and will receive compulsory contributions from the 193 member states. Russia proposed multiple amendments during negotiations in the Committee on Budgetary Questions meeting and in the General Assembly plenary session. At each vote, Russia, Syria, Myanmar and their supporters, including North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela, were outvoted. They all stated that they dissociated themselves from references to investigative mechanisms in the adopted resolutions. Russia said it would examine its future obligatory payments in light of the vote outcome and predicted an increase in the arrears that currently plague the UN's treasury due to countries not paying enough. Moscow argued Friday the investigative mechanism was illegitimate, while Damascus stressed that it had no mandate from the Security Council. The UN's operating budget is separate from the annual budget for peacekeeping operations of some $6 billion that is adopted in June.

UN ups 2020 budget, includes funds for war crimes probes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/15-killed-in-airstrikes-in-northwest-syria-265777">Air strikes </a>killed 19 civilians Monday in Syria's last major opposition bastion, the site of the deadliest clashes between regime forces and armed groups since an August ceasefire came into force, a monitoring group said.

More than 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the north, a separate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eight-children-among-nine-killed-in-turkish-shelling-on-north-syria-monitor-265784">Turkish artillery attack </a>on a Kurdish-held city in Aleppo province killed 11 civilians, including eight children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.&nbsp;

Syria's bloody eight-year-long conflict has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011.

It continues to claim scores of civilian lives, especially in areas outside government control.

In the province of Idlib, largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, regime air raids killed 13 civilians in a market in the town of Maaret al-Numan, the Britain-based Observatory said.&nbsp;

An AFP correspondent saw rescue workers carry a wounded man away on a stretcher while a body lay motionless amid spilt oranges and bags of onions.

Maher Mohammed, 35, a vendor in the market, said it was the most frightening bombardment he had witnessed in years.

"We ran inside the shops and threw ourselves on the ground," the father of five told AFP.

"They bombarded half the market. Our neighbours were killed," as were two women in a car who had come to do some shopping, he said.

The Observatory said six others died in Russian and regime bombardment in other parts of the province, including a woman and her two children in a Russian strike on an Idlib prison.

Fighting rages&nbsp;

On the southeastern edge of the region, regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes, with almost 100 fighters killed in two days, according to the war monitor.

The battles on the fringes of Idlib since Saturday are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, it said.

Fifty-four regime fighters had been killed, while 47 of their foes including 33 jihadists had also lost their lives since Saturday, the Observatory said.

President Bashar al-Assad has long maintained that his government will eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey.

During a meeting on Monday with Russia's special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, Assad agreed to "continue the fight against terrorism" so that Idlib would not become "a permanent haven for terrorists," the presidency said.

The late August ceasefire came months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes.

But sporadic clashes and deadly Russian and regime bombardment on the jihadist-held bastion have continued, with 179 civilians including 45 children killed during that time.

Turkish attack&nbsp;

In the strategic city of Tal Rifaat, controlled by local Kurdish fighters, a Turkish artillery attack hit near a school as students were leaving the building.

Most of the 11 civilians killed in the shelling had been displaced from the Afrin region captured last year by Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Footage released by Kurdish-run media purported to show bloody and bandaged young men being carried into a crowded medical facility after the attack.

Wrapped in thick wool blankets, the corpses of the deceased were lined up on the floor of an empty room in the same facility, in the footage.

Outside, relatives broke-down crying.

Tal Rifaat, a strategic town 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Turkey's frontier, is the site of regular confrontations between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish fighters.&nbsp;

Turkey threatened to launch a cross-border offensive to capture Tal Rifaat last year after taking Afrin from the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) militia.

But Russia intervened to stop the planned offensive.

In October, it said it agreed to work with Turkey to remove all YPG militia "elements and their weapons" from Tal Rifaat.&nbsp;

But in early November, Turkish President Reep Tayyip Erdogan said Kurdish "terror groups" had still not left.

Tal Rifaat is held by local Kurdish fighters displaced from Afrin, the Observatory head said, adding that Russian forces and regime troops are also currently deployed inside the town.

Turkey in October launched a cross-border operation south of its frontier against Syrian Kurdish forces.

In the two months since the operation began, it has established a so-called "safe zone" in a 120-kilometre-long strip along the border, where it says it wants to resettle Syrian refugees.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Air strikes killed 19 civilians Monday in Syria's last major opposition bastion, the site of the deadliest clashes between regime forces and armed groups since an August ceasefire came into force, a monitoring group said.

Air strikes killed 19 civilians Monday in Syria's last major opposition bastion, the site of the deadliest clashes between regime forces and armed groups since an August ceasefire came into force, a monitoring group said. More than 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the north, a separate Turkish artillery attack on a Kurdish-held city in Aleppo province killed 11 civilians, including eight children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Syria's bloody eight-year-long conflict has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011. It continues to claim scores of civilian lives, especially in areas outside government control. In the province of Idlib, largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, regime air raids killed 13 civilians in a market in the town of Maaret al-Numan, the Britain-based Observatory said. An AFP correspondent saw rescue workers carry a wounded man away on a stretcher while a body lay motionless amid spilt oranges and bags of onions. Maher Mohammed, 35, a vendor in the market, said it was the most frightening bombardment he had witnessed in years. "We ran inside the shops and threw ourselves on the ground," the father of five told AFP. "They bombarded half the market. Our neighbours were killed," as were two women in a car who had come to do some shopping, he said. The Observatory said six others died in Russian and regime bombardment in other parts of the province, including a woman and her two children in a Russian strike on an Idlib prison. Fighting rages On the southeastern edge of the region, regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes, with almost 100 fighters killed in two days, according to the war monitor. The battles on the fringes of Idlib since Saturday are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, it said. Fifty-four regime fighters had been killed, while 47 of their foes including 33 jihadists had also lost their lives since Saturday, the Observatory said. President Bashar al-Assad has long maintained that his government will eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey. During a meeting on Monday with Russia's special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, Assad agreed to "continue the fight against terrorism" so that Idlib would not become "a permanent haven for terrorists," the presidency said. The late August ceasefire came months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes. But sporadic clashes and deadly Russian and regime bombardment on the jihadist-held bastion have continued, with 179 civilians including 45 children killed during that time. Turkish attack In the strategic city of Tal Rifaat, controlled by local Kurdish fighters, a Turkish artillery attack hit near a school as students were leaving the building. Most of the 11 civilians killed in the shelling had been displaced from the Afrin region captured last year by Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Footage released by Kurdish-run media purported to show bloody and bandaged young men being carried into a crowded medical facility after the attack. Wrapped in thick wool blankets, the corpses of the deceased were lined up on the floor of an empty room in the same facility, in the footage. Outside, relatives broke-down crying. Tal Rifaat, a strategic town 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Turkey's frontier, is the site of regular confrontations between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish fighters. Turkey threatened to launch a cross-border offensive to capture Tal Rifaat last year after taking Afrin from the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) militia. But Russia intervened to stop the planned offensive. In October, it said it agreed to work with Turkey to remove all YPG militia "elements and their weapons" from Tal Rifaat. But in early November, Turkish President Reep Tayyip Erdogan said Kurdish "terror groups" had still not left. Tal Rifaat is held by local Kurdish fighters displaced from Afrin, the Observatory head said, adding that Russian forces and regime troops are also currently deployed inside the town. Turkey in October launched a cross-border operation south of its frontier against Syrian Kurdish forces. In the two months since the operation began, it has established a so-called "safe zone" in a 120-kilometre-long strip along the border, where it says it wants to resettle Syrian refugees.

Thirty killed across Syria as violence rages

Eight children were among nine people killed Monday in a Turkish artillery attack that hit near a school in a northern Syrian town, a Britain-based war monitor said.

Those killed in the attack on Kurdish-held Tal Rifaat were all displaced from the Afrin region which was captured last year by Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Eight children were among nine people killed Monday in a Turkish artillery attack that hit near a school in a northern Syrian town, a Britain-based war monitor said.

Eight children were among nine people killed Monday in a Turkish artillery attack that hit near a school in a northern Syrian town, a Britain-based war monitor said. Those killed in the attack on Kurdish-held Tal Rifaat were all displaced from the Afrin region which was captured last year by Turkish troops and their Syrian proxies, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Eight children among nine killed in Turkish shelling on north Syria: Monitor

Syria&#39;s nearly week-old ceasefire was facing a crucial deadline on Monday as the Syrian army said the truce could expire later in the day after a particularly bloody weekend. 
 
The deal came into effect on the evening of September 12, backed by world powers hoping that it could bring an end to Syria&#39;s brutal five-year conflict. 
 
But after several days of relative calm, fighting escalated across major battlefronts, culminating in a deadly US-led air raid on a Syrian army position and fresh strikes on Aleppo. 
 
The strike on Syrian soldiers has strained relations between the deal&#39;s primary sponsors, Washington and Moscow, who had said they would increase cooperation against jihadist groups if the truce held for a week. 
 
A senior military source in Damascus told AFP that the truce would expire Monday at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) if no extension was announced. 
 
&quot;The current situation leaves much to be desired,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, blasting the US-led strike on Syria&#39;s army which he said &quot;is still the only party respecting the ceasefire&quot;. 
 
&quot;All of this puts the ceasefire in danger,&quot; he said, also without commenting on whether the truce would be extended.&nbsp; 
 
Since September 12, a total of 26 civilians, including eight children, have been killed in areas where the truce had been set to take hold, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
The bloodiest day for civilians was Sunday, when a barrel bomb attack killed 10 in a southern rebel-held town and one woman was killed in the first raids on Aleppo since the truce began. 
 
On Monday, fierce clashes were reported from all across Damascus as Syria&#39;s military launched &quot;a major military operation&quot; against rebels. 
 
&quot;The army blocked a huge attack by the Faylaq al-Sham group and is beginning a major military operation on the edges of the capital,&quot; a military source said. 
 
But forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were once again on the back foot near the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, where they have been battling Islamic State group jihadists since last year. 
 
The Observatory said IS militants seized Jabal Therdeh, a set of hills overlooking the Deir Ezzor airbase -- from Russia-backed Syrian soldiers on Sunday. 
 
A military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Monday the army had begun a new operation backed by Russian and Syrian warplanes to roll back IS&#39;s advance. 
 
&quot;The army has redeployed around Jabal Therdeh after a fierce attack by Daesh,&quot; he said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. 
 
Syria&#39;s military accused the US-led air coalition of paving the way for IS, after a strike by coalition forces on Jabal Therdeh killed at least 62 Syrian soldiers on Saturday. 
 
Senior government adviser Buthaina Shaaban told AFP on Sunday Damascus believed the raid had been &quot;intentional&quot;. 
 
Russia called the strike a &quot;bad omen&quot; for its deal with the US to halt Syria&#39;s war, which has killed more than 300,000 people since it erupted in 2011. 
 
Under the agreement, fighting was to halt across Syria and humanitarian aid would reach civilians living in increasingly dire humanitarian conditions. 
 
On Monday, convoys of food and medical aid were en route to two hard-to-reach areas in Syria, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 
 
The first would reach the rebel-held town of Talbisseh, where at least two people were killed by shelling during the truce. 
 
Swanson said the aid would be enough for 84,000 people in the area. 
 
Another 78,000 people living in and around Greater Orum in the north of Aleppo province would also receive wheat flour and health supplies, Swanson told AFP. 
 
But aid convoys to the rebel-held districts of Aleppo city were still stuck on Syria&#39;s border with Turkey Monday, he said. 
 
UN humanitarian chief Stephen O&#39;Brien said he was &quot;pained&quot; that Aleppo&#39;s residents had still not received promised aid deliveries. 
 
&quot;I am pained and disappointed that a United Nations convoy has yet to cross into Syria from Turkey, and safely reach eastern Aleppo, where up to 275,000 people remain trapped without food, water, proper shelter or medical care,&quot; O&#39;Brien said.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

The US air raid that killed as many as 83 Syrian soldiers has strained relations between the ceasefire's primary sponsors -- the US & Russia

Syria's nearly week-old ceasefire was facing a crucial deadline on Monday as the Syrian army said the truce could expire later in the day after a particularly bloody weekend. The deal came into effect on the evening of September 12, backed by world powers hoping that it could bring an end to Syria's brutal five-year conflict. But after several days of relative calm, fighting escalated across major battlefronts, culminating in a deadly US-led air raid on a Syrian army position and fresh strikes on Aleppo. The strike on Syrian soldiers has strained relations between the deal's primary sponsors, Washington and Moscow, who had said they would increase cooperation against jihadist groups if the truce held for a week. A senior military source in Damascus told AFP that the truce would expire Monday at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) if no extension was announced. "The current situation leaves much to be desired," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, blasting the US-led strike on Syria's army which he said "is still the only party respecting the ceasefire". "All of this puts the ceasefire in danger," he said, also without commenting on whether the truce would be extended. Since September 12, a total of 26 civilians, including eight children, have been killed in areas where the truce had been set to take hold, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The bloodiest day for civilians was Sunday, when a barrel bomb attack killed 10 in a southern rebel-held town and one woman was killed in the first raids on Aleppo since the truce began. On Monday, fierce clashes were reported from all across Damascus as Syria's military launched "a major military operation" against rebels. "The army blocked a huge attack by the Faylaq al-Sham group and is beginning a major military operation on the edges of the capital," a military source said. But forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were once again on the back foot near the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, where they have been battling Islamic State group jihadists since last year. The Observatory said IS militants seized Jabal Therdeh, a set of hills overlooking the Deir Ezzor airbase -- from Russia-backed Syrian soldiers on Sunday. A military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Monday the army had begun a new operation backed by Russian and Syrian warplanes to roll back IS's advance. "The army has redeployed around Jabal Therdeh after a fierce attack by Daesh," he said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Syria's military accused the US-led air coalition of paving the way for IS, after a strike by coalition forces on Jabal Therdeh killed at least 62 Syrian soldiers on Saturday. Senior government adviser Buthaina Shaaban told AFP on Sunday Damascus believed the raid had been "intentional". Russia called the strike a "bad omen" for its deal with the US to halt Syria's war, which has killed more than 300,000 people since it erupted in 2011. Under the agreement, fighting was to halt across Syria and humanitarian aid would reach civilians living in increasingly dire humanitarian conditions. On Monday, convoys of food and medical aid were en route to two hard-to-reach areas in Syria, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The first would reach the rebel-held town of Talbisseh, where at least two people were killed by shelling during the truce. Swanson said the aid would be enough for 84,000 people in the area. Another 78,000 people living in and around Greater Orum in the north of Aleppo province would also receive wheat flour and health supplies, Swanson told AFP. But aid convoys to the rebel-held districts of Aleppo city were still stuck on Syria's border with Turkey Monday, he said. UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said he was "pained" that Aleppo's residents had still not received promised aid deliveries. "I am pained and disappointed that a United Nations convoy has yet to cross into Syria from Turkey, and safely reach eastern Aleppo, where up to 275,000 people remain trapped without food, water, proper shelter or medical care," O'Brien said. (AFP)

Syria truce may end Monday evening

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