The UN Security Council will vote Friday at 1600 GMT on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations, diplomats said.

A slightly amended text was circulated to council members, but it was unclear whether Russia would support the measure.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told a council meeting on Thursday that there was &quot;no agreement&quot; on a truce and presented a new raft of amendments.

Negotiations on the draft have dragged on as hundreds of Syrians have died in a fierce government air campaign in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

Also&nbsp;read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-blocks-un-resolution-on-ceasefire-in-syria-33759"> Russia blocks UN resolution on ceasefire in Syria</a>

Sweden and Kuwait presented the proposed measure on February 9.

The latest text softens language in a key provision to say that the council &quot;demands&quot; a ceasefire, instead of &quot;decides&quot;.

It also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to &quot;individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated&quot; with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. A previous version simply mentioned the two terror groups.

More than 400 people have been killed in the five-day assault by the government on Eastern Ghouta, where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said 400,000 Syrians are living in &quot;hell on earth.&quot; 
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The UN Security Council will vote at 1600 GMT on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations, diplomats said

The UN Security Council will vote Friday at 1600 GMT on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations, diplomats said. A slightly amended text was circulated to council members, but it was unclear whether Russia would support the measure. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told a council meeting on Thursday that there was "no agreement" on a truce and presented a new raft of amendments. Negotiations on the draft have dragged on as hundreds of Syrians have died in a fierce government air campaign in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. Also read: Russia blocks UN resolution on ceasefire in Syria Sweden and Kuwait presented the proposed measure on February 9. The latest text softens language in a key provision to say that the council "demands" a ceasefire, instead of "decides". It also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to "individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated" with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. A previous version simply mentioned the two terror groups. More than 400 people have been killed in the five-day assault by the government on Eastern Ghouta, where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said 400,000 Syrians are living in "hell on earth."

UN Security Council to vote on Syria ceasefire today

Syrian regime air strikes and artillery fire hit the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta for a sixth straight day Friday killing 32 civilians, as the world struggled to reach a deal to stop the carnage.

More than 450 civilians, including over 100 children, have been killed in nearly a week of bombardment that has been one of the seven-year Syrian conflict&#39;s bloodiest episodes -- and rescuers were searching for more bodies buried in the rubble.

The leaders of France and Germany urged Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose airforce is also striking Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, to back a 30-day truce at a UN Security Council vote.

The council delayed the crunch vote by over three hours to 1930 GMT, as negotiations went into high gear to avoid a veto from Syrian regime ally Moscow, which has been calling for &quot;guarantees&quot; that the ceasefire would be respected by rebel fighters.

Few of Eastern Ghouta&#39;s nearly 400,000 residents -- mostly living in a scattering of towns across the semi-rural area east of the capital -- ventured out on Friday.

An AFP correspondent in Douma, the enclave&#39;s main town, saw a handful of people stealthily crossing rubble-strewn streets to assess damage to their property or look for food and water.

He said rescuers carried a young boy wounded in the eye, blood trickling down his face, to one of the town&#39;s hospitals. &quot;Will I see again?,&quot; he asked a doctor.

Death has fallen from the sky relentlessly since government and allied forces intensified their bombardment on Sunday and rocket fire soon forced everybody to run for cover.

Exhausted and famished families cowered in cramped and damp basements, exchanging information on the latest casualties of the government&#39;s blitz.

Some of the only people braving the threat of more bombardment were medical staff in those hospitals still standing and rescuers sifting through the wreckage of levelled buildings.

Trapped bodies 
 
Fresh strikes on Friday, by the Syria regime and its Russian ally, killed at least 32 civilians, including six children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based war monitor, said the strikes targeted different areas of Eastern Ghouta.

The latest deaths brought to 462 the number of people killed -- including 103 children -- since the regime and Russia intensified their bombardment of the besieged area on February 18.&nbsp;

More than 2,000 people have been wounded.

Rebels have been firing back into the capital Damascus, where on Friday a hospital was hit, the official Syrian news agency SANA said.

Diplomats at the United Nations failed to clinch Russian approval late Thursday on a resolution calling for a 30-day truce to allow for humanitarian aid and medical evacuations.

They then announced that a vote would take place on Friday, but it was delayed twice amid staunch Russian resistance.

Negotiations were continuing to avoid a Russia veto of the text that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Putin to ask him to back the ceasefire.

The latest text softens language in a key provision to say that the council &quot;demands&quot; a ceasefire instead of &quot;decides&quot;.

It also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to &quot;individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated&quot; with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. A previous version simply mentioned the two groups.

World leaders have expressed outrage at the plight of civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which UN chief Antonio Guterres called &quot;hell on earth&quot;, but have so far been powerless to halt the bloodshed.

&quot;The UN says it is concerned and calls for a ceasefire, France condemns, but they have given us nothing,&quot; said Abu Mustafa, one of the few civilians on the streets of Douma Friday morning.

&quot;Every day we have strikes, destruction. This would draw tears from a rock,&quot; said the 50-year-old, who was escorting a wounded person to hospital.

Toothless response

The enclave has been controlled by Islamist and jihadist groups since 2012.&nbsp;

The main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta rejected in a statement released Friday any deal that would see them or other residents relocated.

&quot;We categorically reject any initiative providing for inhabitants to leave their homes and be transferred towards any other location,&quot; they said in a letter addressed to Guterres.

The area is completely surrounded by government-controlled territory and residents are unwilling or unable to flee the deadly siege.

The dire images of civilian victims bleeding to death in understaffed hospitals and the scope of the urban destruction have shocked the world and drawn comparisons with the devastating 2016 battle for Aleppo.

The aid community has voiced its frustration at being prevented from assisting civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which has been under government siege since 2013.

&quot;The blocking of this resolution is another failure to end human suffering in Syria, with the UN Security Council rendered impotent as this senseless war rages on,&quot; Thomas White, Syria director at the Norwegian Refugee Council told AFP.

Government forces have this month reinforced their deployment around the enclave in preparation for a ground offensive that White said would spark an even worse humanitarian crisis.

&quot;If aid agencies are unable to meet urgent needs now, how can we possibly be prepared to tackle what is yet to come,&quot; White said.

 
&nbsp;

Syrian regime air strikes and artillery fire hit the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta for a sixth straight day Friday killing 32 civilians, as the world struggled to reach a deal to stop the carnage

Syrian regime air strikes and artillery fire hit the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta for a sixth straight day Friday killing 32 civilians, as the world struggled to reach a deal to stop the carnage. More than 450 civilians, including over 100 children, have been killed in nearly a week of bombardment that has been one of the seven-year Syrian conflict's bloodiest episodes -- and rescuers were searching for more bodies buried in the rubble. The leaders of France and Germany urged Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose airforce is also striking Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, to back a 30-day truce at a UN Security Council vote. The council delayed the crunch vote by over three hours to 1930 GMT, as negotiations went into high gear to avoid a veto from Syrian regime ally Moscow, which has been calling for "guarantees" that the ceasefire would be respected by rebel fighters. Few of Eastern Ghouta's nearly 400,000 residents -- mostly living in a scattering of towns across the semi-rural area east of the capital -- ventured out on Friday. An AFP correspondent in Douma, the enclave's main town, saw a handful of people stealthily crossing rubble-strewn streets to assess damage to their property or look for food and water. He said rescuers carried a young boy wounded in the eye, blood trickling down his face, to one of the town's hospitals. "Will I see again?," he asked a doctor. Death has fallen from the sky relentlessly since government and allied forces intensified their bombardment on Sunday and rocket fire soon forced everybody to run for cover. Exhausted and famished families cowered in cramped and damp basements, exchanging information on the latest casualties of the government's blitz. Some of the only people braving the threat of more bombardment were medical staff in those hospitals still standing and rescuers sifting through the wreckage of levelled buildings. Trapped bodies Fresh strikes on Friday, by the Syria regime and its Russian ally, killed at least 32 civilians, including six children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based war monitor, said the strikes targeted different areas of Eastern Ghouta. The latest deaths brought to 462 the number of people killed -- including 103 children -- since the regime and Russia intensified their bombardment of the besieged area on February 18. More than 2,000 people have been wounded. Rebels have been firing back into the capital Damascus, where on Friday a hospital was hit, the official Syrian news agency SANA said. Diplomats at the United Nations failed to clinch Russian approval late Thursday on a resolution calling for a 30-day truce to allow for humanitarian aid and medical evacuations. They then announced that a vote would take place on Friday, but it was delayed twice amid staunch Russian resistance. Negotiations were continuing to avoid a Russia veto of the text that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Putin to ask him to back the ceasefire. The latest text softens language in a key provision to say that the council "demands" a ceasefire instead of "decides". It also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to "individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated" with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. A previous version simply mentioned the two groups. World leaders have expressed outrage at the plight of civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which UN chief Antonio Guterres called "hell on earth", but have so far been powerless to halt the bloodshed. "The UN says it is concerned and calls for a ceasefire, France condemns, but they have given us nothing," said Abu Mustafa, one of the few civilians on the streets of Douma Friday morning. "Every day we have strikes, destruction. This would draw tears from a rock," said the 50-year-old, who was escorting a wounded person to hospital. Toothless response The enclave has been controlled by Islamist and jihadist groups since 2012. The main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta rejected in a statement released Friday any deal that would see them or other residents relocated. "We categorically reject any initiative providing for inhabitants to leave their homes and be transferred towards any other location," they said in a letter addressed to Guterres. The area is completely surrounded by government-controlled territory and residents are unwilling or unable to flee the deadly siege. The dire images of civilian victims bleeding to death in understaffed hospitals and the scope of the urban destruction have shocked the world and drawn comparisons with the devastating 2016 battle for Aleppo. The aid community has voiced its frustration at being prevented from assisting civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which has been under government siege since 2013. "The blocking of this resolution is another failure to end human suffering in Syria, with the UN Security Council rendered impotent as this senseless war rages on," Thomas White, Syria director at the Norwegian Refugee Council told AFP. Government forces have this month reinforced their deployment around the enclave in preparation for a ground offensive that White said would spark an even worse humanitarian crisis. "If aid agencies are unable to meet urgent needs now, how can we possibly be prepared to tackle what is yet to come," White said.

Strikes pound Syria's Eastern Ghouta as world fumbles for response

The UN Security Council on Friday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-security-council-to-vote-on-syria-ceasefire-today-33806">delayed to 19:30 GMT</a> a vote on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, diplomats said.

Negotiations were continuing to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-blocks-un-resolution-on-ceasefire-in-syria-33759">avoid a Russia veto of the text </a>that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

More than 400 civilians have been killed as Syrian regime air strikes and artillery fire pound the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, in one of the seven-year conflict&#39;s bloodiest episodes.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote to Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin on Friday urging him to back a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Syria, France&#39;s presidency said.

The letter, sent while Macron and Merkel were at an EU summit in Brussels, asked Russia to support the draft resolution calling for a 30-day truce in Syria, mainly to allow aid to reach besieged Eastern Ghouta and allow evacuations, said the presidency.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called for an immediate ceasefire and aid deliveries in the rebel-held Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

Negotiations were continuing to avoid a Russia veto of the text that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations

The UN Security Council on Friday delayed to 19:30 GMT a vote on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, diplomats said. Negotiations were continuing to avoid a Russia veto of the text that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations. More than 400 civilians have been killed as Syrian regime air strikes and artillery fire pound the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, in one of the seven-year conflict's bloodiest episodes. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote to Russia's Vladimir Putin on Friday urging him to back a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Syria, France's presidency said. The letter, sent while Macron and Merkel were at an EU summit in Brussels, asked Russia to support the draft resolution calling for a 30-day truce in Syria, mainly to allow aid to reach besieged Eastern Ghouta and allow evacuations, said the presidency. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called for an immediate ceasefire and aid deliveries in the rebel-held Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

UN vote on Syria ceasefire delayed to 19:30 GMT

After two weeks of negotiations, Russia on Thursday told the UN Security Council that there was still no agreement on a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, dimming hopes of international action to halt the carnage in Eastern Ghouta.

During a council meeting called by Russia, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia presented a new raft of amendments to a draft resolution that would allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations during the pause.

Negotiations on the draft presented by Sweden and Kuwait on February 9 have dragged on as hundreds of Syrians have died in a fierce government air campaign in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

Nebenzia told the council that Sweden and Kuwait had requested a vote on the draft resolution even though they are &quot;fully aware there is no agreement on it.&quot; 
The Security Council needs to reach a &quot;feasible&quot; agreement on a ceasefire and not take a decision that would be &quot;severed from reality,&quot; said Nebenzia before circulating an amended text.

UN diplomats resumed talks in a last-ditch bid to avoid a Russian veto and a vote at the council was now considered for Friday.

&quot;We are trying to find a way forward,&quot; Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog said after the meeting, adding that he was &quot;leaning towards a vote&quot; on Friday.

The United States, France and Britain called for a quick vote to address the acute crisis on the ground.

&quot;The United States is ready to vote on this resolution right here and right now,&quot; said US diplomat Kelley Currie.

&quot;The assault from the regime is relentless, and the suffering is overwhelming.&quot;

The US State Department later joined in the criticism, saying Russia had a &quot;unique responsibility&quot; for the situation in Eastern Ghouta.

&quot;Without Russia backing Syria, the devastation and the deaths would certainly not be occurring,&quot; spokeswoman Heather Nauert told journalists.

&quot;It is a good reminder that Russia bears a unique responsibility for what is taking place there.&quot;

Outside UN headquarters in New York, a coalition of aid groups put up three billboards, inspired by the film &quot;Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri&quot; that said &quot;500,000 dead in Syria. And still no action? How come Security Council?&quot;More than 400 people have been killed in the five-day assault by the government on Eastern Ghouta, where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said 400,000 Syrians are living in &quot;hell on earth.&quot;

In his address to the council, Nebenzia cited concerns over enforcing the ceasefire and questioned the feasibility of quickly launching a major aid operation to reach civilians and lift sieges.

He accused supporters of the ceasefire of seeking to create &quot;a scandal in order to step up pressure on the Syrian government and taint the Russian government.&quot;

The draft resolution would pave the way for the truce to go into effect 72 hours after the adoption of the measure and for aid deliveries and medical evacuations to begin 48 hours after that.

It demands the immediate lifting of all sieges including in Eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk, Foua and Kefraya and orders all sides to &quot;cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival.&quot;

In a concession to Russia, the draft was amended during tough-going negotiations last week to specify that the ceasefire does not apply to the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda.

That would allow the Syrian government offensive to continue against Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists in Idlib, the last province in Syria outside the control of Damascus. 
The Russian-drafted text, obtained by AFP, specified that aid deliveries would happen &quot;as security conditions permit&quot; and added that &quot;foreign military forces can operate in Syria only in coordination with its official authorities.&quot;

&quot;The Russian amendments are unacceptable,&quot; said a Security Council diplomat.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre warned that failure to act to help Eastern Ghouta would deal a blow to UN credibility and could sound &quot;the death knell of the United Nations.&quot;

More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions driven from the homes in the war, which next month enters its eighth year with no end in sight.

UN diplomats resumed talks in a last-ditch bid to avoid a Russian veto and a vote at the council was now considered for Friday

After two weeks of negotiations, Russia on Thursday told the UN Security Council that there was still no agreement on a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, dimming hopes of international action to halt the carnage in Eastern Ghouta. During a council meeting called by Russia, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia presented a new raft of amendments to a draft resolution that would allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations during the pause. Negotiations on the draft presented by Sweden and Kuwait on February 9 have dragged on as hundreds of Syrians have died in a fierce government air campaign in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. Nebenzia told the council that Sweden and Kuwait had requested a vote on the draft resolution even though they are "fully aware there is no agreement on it." The Security Council needs to reach a "feasible" agreement on a ceasefire and not take a decision that would be "severed from reality," said Nebenzia before circulating an amended text. UN diplomats resumed talks in a last-ditch bid to avoid a Russian veto and a vote at the council was now considered for Friday. "We are trying to find a way forward," Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog said after the meeting, adding that he was "leaning towards a vote" on Friday. The United States, France and Britain called for a quick vote to address the acute crisis on the ground. "The United States is ready to vote on this resolution right here and right now," said US diplomat Kelley Currie. "The assault from the regime is relentless, and the suffering is overwhelming." The US State Department later joined in the criticism, saying Russia had a "unique responsibility" for the situation in Eastern Ghouta. "Without Russia backing Syria, the devastation and the deaths would certainly not be occurring," spokeswoman Heather Nauert told journalists. "It is a good reminder that Russia bears a unique responsibility for what is taking place there." Outside UN headquarters in New York, a coalition of aid groups put up three billboards, inspired by the film "Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri" that said "500,000 dead in Syria. And still no action? How come Security Council?"More than 400 people have been killed in the five-day assault by the government on Eastern Ghouta, where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said 400,000 Syrians are living in "hell on earth." In his address to the council, Nebenzia cited concerns over enforcing the ceasefire and questioned the feasibility of quickly launching a major aid operation to reach civilians and lift sieges. He accused supporters of the ceasefire of seeking to create "a scandal in order to step up pressure on the Syrian government and taint the Russian government." The draft resolution would pave the way for the truce to go into effect 72 hours after the adoption of the measure and for aid deliveries and medical evacuations to begin 48 hours after that. It demands the immediate lifting of all sieges including in Eastern Ghouta, Yarmouk, Foua and Kefraya and orders all sides to "cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival." In a concession to Russia, the draft was amended during tough-going negotiations last week to specify that the ceasefire does not apply to the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda. That would allow the Syrian government offensive to continue against Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists in Idlib, the last province in Syria outside the control of Damascus. The Russian-drafted text, obtained by AFP, specified that aid deliveries would happen "as security conditions permit" and added that "foreign military forces can operate in Syria only in coordination with its official authorities." "The Russian amendments are unacceptable," said a Security Council diplomat. French Ambassador Francois Delattre warned that failure to act to help Eastern Ghouta would deal a blow to UN credibility and could sound "the death knell of the United Nations." More than 340,000 people have been killed and millions driven from the homes in the war, which next month enters its eighth year with no end in sight.

Russia blocks UN resolution on ceasefire in Syria

The death toll for the shelling and airstrikes in Syria&rsquo;s Eastern Ghouta has increased to 250 in the last 48-hours, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The death toll included 58 children and 42 women, the group said. More than 1,200 people were wounded by the Syrian regime shelling and airstrikes on the besieged Damascus suburb, which rights activists and residents described as being under &ldquo;constant bombardment.&rdquo;

The monitoring group said the death toll is the highest since the 2013 alleged chemical attack on eastern Ghouta, which activists say killed approximately 1,400 people.

The UN has warned that the situation is &quot;spiralling out of control&quot;.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-opposition-condemns-ghouta-bloodbath-33531">Syria opposition condemns Ghouta &#39;bloodbath&#39; </a>

Meanwhile, the Damascus government has sent forces to confront Turkish troops who have crossed the border to push back the Kurds in northern Syria.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-warns-syrian-forces-entering-afrin-face-serious-consequences-33615">Turkey warned </a>on Wednesday that pro-Syrian government forces entering the northwest Afrin region to support a Kurdish militia there will face &quot;serious consequences&quot; and they will be regarded as legitimate targets.

A convoy of some 40-50 vehicles carrying pro-government forces tried to enter Syria&#39;s Afrin on Tuesday, but retreated after artillery fire by Turkish forces, President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s spokesman said.

On the outskirts of Damascus, air strikes, rockets and artillery fire have been battering the Eastern Ghouta enclave in apparent preparation for a government ground assault.

Bombardment on Tuesday killed 106 civilians, including 19 children, the Britain-based war monitor said.

It was the second straight day that the civilian <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-russia-pound-rebel-enclave-over-250-dead-33548">death toll topped </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-russia-pound-rebel-enclave-over-250-dead-33548">100</a>, after 127 were killed Monday in Eastern Ghouta&rsquo;s bloodiest day in four years.

The strikes left an important hospital out of action, further limiting the little medical aid that besieged civilians can access.

The Observatory blamed Russian warplanes, saying Moscow carried out its first strikes in three months on Eastern Ghouta.

 
&nbsp;

The death toll included 58 children and 42 women, the group said and more than 1,200 people were wounded

The death toll for the shelling and airstrikes in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta has increased to 250 in the last 48-hours, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The death toll included 58 children and 42 women, the group said. More than 1,200 people were wounded by the Syrian regime shelling and airstrikes on the besieged Damascus suburb, which rights activists and residents described as being under “constant bombardment.” The monitoring group said the death toll is the highest since the 2013 alleged chemical attack on eastern Ghouta, which activists say killed approximately 1,400 people. The UN has warned that the situation is "spiralling out of control". Also read: Syria opposition condemns Ghouta 'bloodbath' Meanwhile, the Damascus government has sent forces to confront Turkish troops who have crossed the border to push back the Kurds in northern Syria. Turkey warned on Wednesday that pro-Syrian government forces entering the northwest Afrin region to support a Kurdish militia there will face "serious consequences" and they will be regarded as legitimate targets. A convoy of some 40-50 vehicles carrying pro-government forces tried to enter Syria's Afrin on Tuesday, but retreated after artillery fire by Turkish forces, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said. On the outskirts of Damascus, air strikes, rockets and artillery fire have been battering the Eastern Ghouta enclave in apparent preparation for a government ground assault. Bombardment on Tuesday killed 106 civilians, including 19 children, the Britain-based war monitor said. It was the second straight day that the civilian death toll topped 100, after 127 were killed Monday in Eastern Ghouta’s bloodiest day in four years. The strikes left an important hospital out of action, further limiting the little medical aid that besieged civilians can access. The Observatory blamed Russian warplanes, saying Moscow carried out its first strikes in three months on Eastern Ghouta.

Death toll increases to 250 in Syria air strikes

Turkey warned on Wednesday that pro-Syrian government forces entering the northwest Afrin region to support a Kurdish militia there will face &quot;serious consequences&quot; and they will be regarded as legitimate targets.

A convoy of some 40-50 vehicles carrying pro-government forces tried to enter Syria&#39;s Afrin on Tuesday, but retreated after artillery fire by Turkish forces, President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s spokesman said.

&quot;Any step by the regime or other elements in this direction will surely have serious consequences,&quot; Ibrahim Kalin told a news conference.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkey&#39;s offensive continued overnight, including shelling of the main Afrin town. A commander in the pro-Assad military alliance told Reuters on Tuesday the forces had turned back after coming under fire, but then resumed their progress and were in Afrin.&nbsp;

Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies launched a military operation last month to drive Kurdish YPG fighters out of Afrin. Ankara says the YPG is a terrorist group and an extension of the PKK which has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey.

&quot;Any step there aimed at supporting the... YPG terrorist organisation will mean they are directly siding with terrorist organisations and will, therefore, become legitimate targets for us,&quot; Kalin said.&nbsp;

He also said Turkey was not in direct talks with the Syrian government, but its messages were being conveyed indirectly. 
&nbsp;

A convoy of some 40-50 vehicles carrying pro-government forces tried to enter Syria's Afrin on Tuesday

Turkey warned on Wednesday that pro-Syrian government forces entering the northwest Afrin region to support a Kurdish militia there will face "serious consequences" and they will be regarded as legitimate targets. A convoy of some 40-50 vehicles carrying pro-government forces tried to enter Syria's Afrin on Tuesday, but retreated after artillery fire by Turkish forces, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said. "Any step by the regime or other elements in this direction will surely have serious consequences," Ibrahim Kalin told a news conference. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkey's offensive continued overnight, including shelling of the main Afrin town. A commander in the pro-Assad military alliance told Reuters on Tuesday the forces had turned back after coming under fire, but then resumed their progress and were in Afrin. Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies launched a military operation last month to drive Kurdish YPG fighters out of Afrin. Ankara says the YPG is a terrorist group and an extension of the PKK which has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey. "Any step there aimed at supporting the... YPG terrorist organisation will mean they are directly siding with terrorist organisations and will, therefore, become legitimate targets for us," Kalin said. He also said Turkey was not in direct talks with the Syrian government, but its messages were being conveyed indirectly.

Turkey warns Syrian forces entering Afrin face serious consequences

Turkey will lay siege to Afrin in northern Syria after launching an offensive against Kurdish militia in the region last month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

&quot;In the coming days, swiftly, we will lay siege to the centre of the town of Afrin,&quot; Erdogan told his ruling party lawmakers in parliament.&nbsp;

His remarks came as Turkey&#39;s ground and air offensive against the People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG) militia, viewed as &quot;terrorists&quot; by Ankara, entered its second month.

His remarks came as Turkey's ground and air offensive against the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia entered its second month

Turkey will lay siege to Afrin in northern Syria after launching an offensive against Kurdish militia in the region last month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday. "In the coming days, swiftly, we will lay siege to the centre of the town of Afrin," Erdogan told his ruling party lawmakers in parliament. His remarks came as Turkey's ground and air offensive against the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, viewed as "terrorists" by Ankara, entered its second month.

Turkey will lay siege to Syria's Afrin in coming days: Erdogan

Syria`s main opposition group on Tuesday condemned a government offensive in Eastern Ghouta as a &quot;bloodbath&quot; and a &quot;war crime&quot;, saying it may pull out of UN-backed peace talks in protest.

Three days of air strikes, rockets and artillery fire have left nearly 200 civilians dead in the rebel-held enclave near Damascus, with 13 children killed on Tuesday morning alone, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Nasr al-Hariri, president of the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) said it was clear the Damascus government had &quot;zero interest to engage&quot; in dialogue.

&quot;The Syrian regime with the direct support of Russia and Iran have turned Ghouta into a bloodbath of innocent women and children,&quot; Hariri told reporters in Brussels after talks with EU officials.

&quot;What`s happening in Ghouta is a war crime. International law is very clear on the matter but in Syria the implementation of international law doesn`t exist.&quot;

The European Union, which is hosting a conference on Syria in Brussels next month, says the near seven-year war can only be resolved through negotiations.

Brussels wants to see fresh impetus for UN-led talks in Geneva, which have made scant progress in eight rounds.

Hariri said the Syrian opposition had done its best to make progress in talks, but when asked if he would consider withdrawing in protest at the latest violence, he warned: &quot;We are studying all the options&quot;.

&quot;Just see what they are doing in Ghouta. We are therefore studying the feasibility of the current process as we seek to end the suffering of our people,&quot; he added.

The United Nations has warned the situation in Ghouta is &quot;spiralling out of control&quot; and has repeatedly called for a month-long ceasefire across Syria`s front lines, from Eastern Ghouta to the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in the northwest, which Turkey threatened on Tuesday to lay siege to in the coming days.

Syria`s main opposition group on Tuesday condemned a government offensive in Eastern Ghouta as a 'bloodbath' and a 'war crime', saying it may pull out of UN-backed peace talks in protest

Syria`s main opposition group on Tuesday condemned a government offensive in Eastern Ghouta as a "bloodbath" and a "war crime", saying it may pull out of UN-backed peace talks in protest. Three days of air strikes, rockets and artillery fire have left nearly 200 civilians dead in the rebel-held enclave near Damascus, with 13 children killed on Tuesday morning alone, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Nasr al-Hariri, president of the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) said it was clear the Damascus government had "zero interest to engage" in dialogue. "The Syrian regime with the direct support of Russia and Iran have turned Ghouta into a bloodbath of innocent women and children," Hariri told reporters in Brussels after talks with EU officials. "What`s happening in Ghouta is a war crime. International law is very clear on the matter but in Syria the implementation of international law doesn`t exist." The European Union, which is hosting a conference on Syria in Brussels next month, says the near seven-year war can only be resolved through negotiations. Brussels wants to see fresh impetus for UN-led talks in Geneva, which have made scant progress in eight rounds. Hariri said the Syrian opposition had done its best to make progress in talks, but when asked if he would consider withdrawing in protest at the latest violence, he warned: "We are studying all the options". "Just see what they are doing in Ghouta. We are therefore studying the feasibility of the current process as we seek to end the suffering of our people," he added. The United Nations has warned the situation in Ghouta is "spiralling out of control" and has repeatedly called for a month-long ceasefire across Syria`s front lines, from Eastern Ghouta to the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in the northwest, which Turkey threatened on Tuesday to lay siege to in the coming days.

Syria opposition condemns Ghouta 'bloodbath'

Heavy Syrian bombardment killed 44 civilians in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta on Monday, as regime forces appeared to prepare for an imminent ground assault.

The escalation came as pro-government forces were expected to enter the northern Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin, to take a stand against a month-old Turkish assault there.

Held by rebels since 2012, Eastern Ghouta is the last opposition pocket around Damascus and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has dispatched reinforcements there in an apparent bid to retake it.

A barrage of air strikes, rocket fire, and artillery slammed into several towns across Eastern Ghouta on Monday, killing 44 civilians and wounding dozens more.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 were killed in air strikes on Hammuriyeh and nine others in bombardment on Saqba.&nbsp;

The rest were killed when other areas were pounded. Four children were among the dead.

&quot;The regime is bombing Eastern Ghouta to pave the way for a ground offensive,&quot; said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.&nbsp;

Residents of Hammuriyeh could be seen rushing inside in a panic as soon as they heard the sound of airplanes.&nbsp;

Alaa al-Din, a 23-year-old Syrian in Hammuriyeh, said civilians were afraid of a potential government offensive.

&quot;Ghouta`s fate is unknown. We`ve got nothing but God`s mercy and hiding out in our basements,&quot; he said on Monday.

&quot;There`s no alternative.&quot;

Shelling also hit the town of Douma, where a media correspondent saw five toddlers brought to a hospital, covered in dust and wailing uncontrollably.&nbsp;

Medics offered them biscuits to calm them down, to no avail.&nbsp;

Eastern Ghouta is held by two main Islamist factions, but jihadists control small pockets including one directly adjacent to the capital.&nbsp;

The Observatory and Syrian daily newspaper Al-Watan had said negotiations were under way for the evacuation of jihadists from Eastern Ghouta.

But escalating military pressure indicate that the regime would opt for a ground assault instead of talks, the monitor said.

Government troops carried out a relentless five-day bombing campaign earlier this month that killed around 250 civilians in the enclave and wounded hundreds.&nbsp;

Around the same time, the monitor said, the regime began dispatching military reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta.&nbsp;

After days of relative calm, the government sent more than 260 rockets sailing onto Eastern Ghouta on Sunday.

Those rockets, as well as artillery fire and air strikes, killed 17 civilians, said the Observatory.&nbsp;

The regime is keen to regain control of Eastern Ghouta to halt the deadly salvo of rockets and mortars that rebels fire on Damascus.

About half a dozen rockets hit the capital Sunday night, AFP correspondents said. State news agency SANA reported that one person was killed.

&nbsp;More than 20 civilians have been killed by rebel fire this month alone in regime-held Damascus.

All was quiet in the capital on Monday but since rumours of an imminent assault on Eastern Ghouta started spreading, people living close to the rebel enclave started packing their bags.

Jawad al-Obros, 30, said he was looking to move to a hotel in the western sector of the city to escape his home in an east Damascus neighbourhood that has been regularly hit by rockets from Ghouta.

&quot;We`re tired of this situation. It seems that there`s no solution but a full-blown military one,&quot; he told AFP.&nbsp;

More than 340,000 people have been killed since Syria`s conflict erupted in 2011 with protests against Assad`s government.&nbsp;

It has since evolved into a war that has carved up the country into rival zones of influence among the regime, rebels, jihadists, and Kurdish forces.&nbsp;

The Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) control the northwestern region of Afrin, target of a month-old assault by the Turkish army and allied Syrian rebels.&nbsp;

Turkey sees the YPG as a &quot;terror&quot; group linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), outlawed by Ankara, and wants to clear it from its southern border.&nbsp;

The YPG has controlled Afrin since 2012, when Syrian troops withdrew from it and other Kurdish-majority areas.&nbsp;

Syrian state media said Monday that pro-regime forces were preparing to enter the area to &quot;join the resistance against the Turkish aggression&quot;.

Speaking during a visit to Jordan, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned against any bid by the Syrian regime to help the YPG.

&quot;If the regime is entering (Afrin) to oust the PKK, YPG, there is no problem. But if they are entering to protect the YPG, then no one can stop us and Turkish soldiers,&quot; Cavusoglu said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Rebel groups in eastern Ghouta fired mortars at areas of Damascus held by the government, killing a child and injuring eight other people, Syrian state media said

Heavy Syrian bombardment killed 44 civilians in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta on Monday, as regime forces appeared to prepare for an imminent ground assault. The escalation came as pro-government forces were expected to enter the northern Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin, to take a stand against a month-old Turkish assault there. Held by rebels since 2012, Eastern Ghouta is the last opposition pocket around Damascus and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has dispatched reinforcements there in an apparent bid to retake it. A barrage of air strikes, rocket fire, and artillery slammed into several towns across Eastern Ghouta on Monday, killing 44 civilians and wounding dozens more. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 were killed in air strikes on Hammuriyeh and nine others in bombardment on Saqba. The rest were killed when other areas were pounded. Four children were among the dead. "The regime is bombing Eastern Ghouta to pave the way for a ground offensive," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. Residents of Hammuriyeh could be seen rushing inside in a panic as soon as they heard the sound of airplanes. Alaa al-Din, a 23-year-old Syrian in Hammuriyeh, said civilians were afraid of a potential government offensive. "Ghouta`s fate is unknown. We`ve got nothing but God`s mercy and hiding out in our basements," he said on Monday. "There`s no alternative." Shelling also hit the town of Douma, where a media correspondent saw five toddlers brought to a hospital, covered in dust and wailing uncontrollably. Medics offered them biscuits to calm them down, to no avail. Eastern Ghouta is held by two main Islamist factions, but jihadists control small pockets including one directly adjacent to the capital. The Observatory and Syrian daily newspaper Al-Watan had said negotiations were under way for the evacuation of jihadists from Eastern Ghouta. But escalating military pressure indicate that the regime would opt for a ground assault instead of talks, the monitor said. Government troops carried out a relentless five-day bombing campaign earlier this month that killed around 250 civilians in the enclave and wounded hundreds. Around the same time, the monitor said, the regime began dispatching military reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta. After days of relative calm, the government sent more than 260 rockets sailing onto Eastern Ghouta on Sunday. Those rockets, as well as artillery fire and air strikes, killed 17 civilians, said the Observatory. The regime is keen to regain control of Eastern Ghouta to halt the deadly salvo of rockets and mortars that rebels fire on Damascus. About half a dozen rockets hit the capital Sunday night, AFP correspondents said. State news agency SANA reported that one person was killed. More than 20 civilians have been killed by rebel fire this month alone in regime-held Damascus. All was quiet in the capital on Monday but since rumours of an imminent assault on Eastern Ghouta started spreading, people living close to the rebel enclave started packing their bags. Jawad al-Obros, 30, said he was looking to move to a hotel in the western sector of the city to escape his home in an east Damascus neighbourhood that has been regularly hit by rockets from Ghouta. "We`re tired of this situation. It seems that there`s no solution but a full-blown military one," he told AFP. More than 340,000 people have been killed since Syria`s conflict erupted in 2011 with protests against Assad`s government. It has since evolved into a war that has carved up the country into rival zones of influence among the regime, rebels, jihadists, and Kurdish forces. The Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) control the northwestern region of Afrin, target of a month-old assault by the Turkish army and allied Syrian rebels. Turkey sees the YPG as a "terror" group linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), outlawed by Ankara, and wants to clear it from its southern border. The YPG has controlled Afrin since 2012, when Syrian troops withdrew from it and other Kurdish-majority areas. Syrian state media said Monday that pro-regime forces were preparing to enter the area to "join the resistance against the Turkish aggression". Speaking during a visit to Jordan, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned against any bid by the Syrian regime to help the YPG. "If the regime is entering (Afrin) to oust the PKK, YPG, there is no problem. But if they are entering to protect the YPG, then no one can stop us and Turkish soldiers," Cavusoglu said.

Syria bombardment kills 44 in rebel enclave as ground assault looms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tehran on Sunday over aggressions by what he called Iran and its &quot;proxies&quot; in Syria, while showing what he claimed was a piece of an Iranian drone shot down in Israeli airspace.

Saying he had &quot;a message to the tyrants of Tehran&quot; during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, he warned: &quot;Do not test Israel&#39;s resolve.&quot;

He brandished a rectangular piece of dark green metal which he called &quot;a piece of that Iranian drone, or what&#39;s left of it, after we shot it down.&quot;

Israel has said it shot down the drone on February 10 after it entered the country from Syria, and responded with a raid on what it said was the Iranian control systems for the craft in Syria.

It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged hitting Iranian targets in Syria since the 2011 start of the civil war there.

During the strikes, one of Israel&#39;s F-16 fighter jets was shot down, believed to be the first loss of an Israeli plane in combat since 1982.

Calling Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif the &quot;smooth-talking mouthpiece of Iran&#39;s regime,&quot; Netanyahu said: &quot;Mr Zarif, do you recognise this? You should, it&#39;s yours.&quot;

Again referring to Zarif, who is scheduled to speak later in Munich, the Israeli leader said: &quot;No doubt Mr Zarif will brazenly deny Iran&#39;s involvement in Syria.&quot;

&quot;He lies with eloquence.&quot;

&#39;Noose of terror&#39; &nbsp;

The Israeli military has claimed the drone was a copy of a US model captured by Iran in 2011, based on an analysis of the drone&#39;s debris.

Tensions between the two countries have been building in recent months, with Israel fearing that Tehran is trying to establish a permanent presence in Syria as part of an effort to become a greater regional power in the Middle East.

At the same time, Syria appears to feel it now has the upper hand in the civil war and is more emboldened to stop Israeli air raids inside the country, analysts say.

But Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would not let Iran obtain a permanent foothold in its northern neighbour.

&quot;Through its proxies -- Shiite militias in Iraq, the Huthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza -- Iran is devouring huge swathes of the Middle East,&quot; he said.

&quot;Israel will not allow Iran&#39;s regime to put a noose of terror around our neck,&quot; he added.

&quot;We will act without hesitation to defend ourselves. And we will act if necessary not just against Iran&#39;s proxies that are attacking us, but against Iran itself.&quot;

But he stressed that Israel was not the enemy of the Iranian people, and offered his condolences to the families of the 66 people killed in an Iranian plane crash Sunday.

&quot;We have no quarrel with the people of Iran, only with the regime that torments them,&quot; Netanyahu said.

He brandished a rectangular piece of dark green metal which he called "a piece of that Iranian drone, or what's left of it, after we shot it down."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tehran on Sunday over aggressions by what he called Iran and its "proxies" in Syria, while showing what he claimed was a piece of an Iranian drone shot down in Israeli airspace. Saying he had "a message to the tyrants of Tehran" during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, he warned: "Do not test Israel's resolve." He brandished a rectangular piece of dark green metal which he called "a piece of that Iranian drone, or what's left of it, after we shot it down." Israel has said it shot down the drone on February 10 after it entered the country from Syria, and responded with a raid on what it said was the Iranian control systems for the craft in Syria. It marked the first time Israel publicly acknowledged hitting Iranian targets in Syria since the 2011 start of the civil war there. During the strikes, one of Israel's F-16 fighter jets was shot down, believed to be the first loss of an Israeli plane in combat since 1982. Calling Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif the "smooth-talking mouthpiece of Iran's regime," Netanyahu said: "Mr Zarif, do you recognise this? You should, it's yours." Again referring to Zarif, who is scheduled to speak later in Munich, the Israeli leader said: "No doubt Mr Zarif will brazenly deny Iran's involvement in Syria." "He lies with eloquence." 'Noose of terror' The Israeli military has claimed the drone was a copy of a US model captured by Iran in 2011, based on an analysis of the drone's debris. Tensions between the two countries have been building in recent months, with Israel fearing that Tehran is trying to establish a permanent presence in Syria as part of an effort to become a greater regional power in the Middle East. At the same time, Syria appears to feel it now has the upper hand in the civil war and is more emboldened to stop Israeli air raids inside the country, analysts say. But Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would not let Iran obtain a permanent foothold in its northern neighbour. "Through its proxies -- Shiite militias in Iraq, the Huthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza -- Iran is devouring huge swathes of the Middle East," he said. "Israel will not allow Iran's regime to put a noose of terror around our neck," he added. "We will act without hesitation to defend ourselves. And we will act if necessary not just against Iran's proxies that are attacking us, but against Iran itself." But he stressed that Israel was not the enemy of the Iranian people, and offered his condolences to the families of the 66 people killed in an Iranian plane crash Sunday. "We have no quarrel with the people of Iran, only with the regime that torments them," Netanyahu said.

'Do not test Israel', Netanyahu tells Iran, brandishing drone 'piece'

Turkey never used chemical weapons in its operations in Syria, and takes the utmost care of civilians, a Turkish diplomatic source said, after Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitoring group accused it of carrying out a gas attack in Syria&#39;s Afrin region.

&quot;These are baseless accusations. Turkey never used chemical weapons. We take utmost care of civilians in Operation Olive Branch,&quot; the source said.

Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitoring group said the Turkish military carried out a suspected gas attack that wounded six people in Syria&#39;s Afrin region on Friday.

The source also described the accusations of wounding six civilians through a suspected gas attack as &quot;black propaganda&quot;.

Turkey launched an air and ground offensive last month on the Afrin region, opening a new front in the multi-sided Syrian war, to target Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.&nbsp;

Birusk Hasaka, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin, told Reuters that Turkish bombardment hit a village in the northwest of the region, near the Turkish border. He said it caused six people to suffer breathing problems and other symptoms indicative of a gas attack.&nbsp;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters that Turkish forces and their Syrian insurgent allies hit the village on Friday with shells. The Britain-based war monitoring group said medical sources in Afrin reported that six people in the attack suffered breathing difficulties and dilated pupils, indicating a suspected gas attack.

Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a doctor in an Afrin hospital, said Turkish shelling of the village caused choking in six people.

On February 6, the United Nations called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria.

Since the onset of the conflict in 2011, the YPG and its allies have set up three autonomous cantons in the north, including Afrin. Their sphere of influence expanded as they seized territory from Islamic State with US&nbsp;help, though Washington opposes their autonomy plans as does the Syrian government.&nbsp;

US&nbsp;support for Kurdish-led forces in Syria has infuriated Ankara, which views them as a security threat along its frontier. Turkey sees the YPG as terrorists and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has waged a three-decade insurgency on Turkish soil.

Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitoring group said the Turkish military carried out a suspected gas attack that wounded six people in Syria's Afrin region on Friday

Turkey never used chemical weapons in its operations in Syria, and takes the utmost care of civilians, a Turkish diplomatic source said, after Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitoring group accused it of carrying out a gas attack in Syria's Afrin region. "These are baseless accusations. Turkey never used chemical weapons. We take utmost care of civilians in Operation Olive Branch," the source said. Syrian Kurdish forces and a monitoring group said the Turkish military carried out a suspected gas attack that wounded six people in Syria's Afrin region on Friday. The source also described the accusations of wounding six civilians through a suspected gas attack as "black propaganda". Turkey launched an air and ground offensive last month on the Afrin region, opening a new front in the multi-sided Syrian war, to target Kurdish fighters in northern Syria. Birusk Hasaka, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin, told Reuters that Turkish bombardment hit a village in the northwest of the region, near the Turkish border. He said it caused six people to suffer breathing problems and other symptoms indicative of a gas attack. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters that Turkish forces and their Syrian insurgent allies hit the village on Friday with shells. The Britain-based war monitoring group said medical sources in Afrin reported that six people in the attack suffered breathing difficulties and dilated pupils, indicating a suspected gas attack. Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a doctor in an Afrin hospital, said Turkish shelling of the village caused choking in six people. On February 6, the United Nations called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Syria. Since the onset of the conflict in 2011, the YPG and its allies have set up three autonomous cantons in the north, including Afrin. Their sphere of influence expanded as they seized territory from Islamic State with US help, though Washington opposes their autonomy plans as does the Syrian government. US support for Kurdish-led forces in Syria has infuriated Ankara, which views them as a security threat along its frontier. Turkey sees the YPG as terrorists and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has waged a three-decade insurgency on Turkish soil.

Turkey denies use of chemicals in Syria's Afrin, says accusations baseless

Mohammed Kuraji returned to Syria&#39;s Raqa to prepare a homecoming but ended up organising a funeral. Stepping into his home, an unexploded mine detonated and killed his elderly father.

&quot;It was terrifying. The blast was so strong that I couldn&#39;t hear,&quot; said the 26-year-old, who was also wounded in the incident two months ago.

The Islamic State group was ousted from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa in October, but it left mines scattered across the ravaged city.

Residents are desperate to return home, but they are being maimed and killed by unexploded -- and sometimes insidiously hidden -- ordnance.

Under piles of rubble, behind old refrigerator doors, in blown-out buildings, IS has sown death everywhere.

The explosives in Kuraji&#39;s home were triggered when his father leaned down to pick up a copy of the Koran.

&quot;I was thrown back into the neighbour&#39;s house and a wall collapsed onto my father,&quot; said Kuraji, who has two young children.

He said from under a mountain of blankets, pulling back the covers to reveal his legs, set in place by splints and screws in his shins.

Minehunting 

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces ousted IS from Raqa in October, then handed the city over to the Raqa Civil Council.

But Raqa natives are complaining that demining firms hired by the RCC are taking too long, and have taken matters into their own hands.

Young men are charging up to $100 to search and clear homes of mines -- a small fortune for war-weary Syrians.

&quot;It&#39;s becoming a lucrative business. The officials are ignoring it, and we don&#39;t have the means,&quot; said resident Hamed Saleh, 28.

A large part of his home in Raqa is inaccessible because of mines.

&quot;At any moment, even if a cat is just passing by, a bomb could go off. It&#39;s terrifying,&quot; said Saleh.

According to Human Rights Watch, local officials were receiving about 10 requests for house inspections for a single neighbourhood, every day.

But they were only able to clear about 10 cases per week across the entire city, the New York-based rights group said this week.

It documented at least 491 people, including 157 children, wounded in mine blasts, many of whom died.

Goh Mayama of the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said his clinic receives an average of six mine blast casualties a day on average in Raqa, about a quarter of whom die.

&nbsp;&#39;A view to kill&#39;&nbsp;

Demining operations in Raqa have been supported by the US-led coalition that backed the SDF&#39;s drive against IS.

In December, the SDF said it had demined half the city.

&quot;The hospitals, public institutions, schools, power stations, and bakeries are all demined,&quot; said SDF official Lokman Khalil.

&quot;Raqa&#39;s a big city. There&#39;s a huge number of mines and it&#39;ll take time,&quot; he said.

He said the SDF had tried to keep civilians away, but Raqa natives eager to leave displacement camps and come home had ramped up the pressure.

Now, the city&#39;s main streets have been cleared for traffic, though mounds of debris still line the sidewalks.

Outside one damaged building, a group of children in oversized sweaters rummages through a pile of twisted metal and corrugated iron.

Men with picks and shovels poke through the ruins, emerging occasionally with an unexploded mine.

&quot;We&#39;re paying people out of our own pockets to clear our streets and houses,&quot; said Abu Mohammed, a resident in his forties.

The four-storey apartment building he owns has been completely destroyed, but he cannot begin rebuilding because of mines inside.

&quot;I have three kids. I keep them locked at home so that mines don&#39;t go off as they walk in the streets,&quot; he said.

According to the United Nations, some 60,000 people have returned to Raqa despite warnings of the danger.

&quot;The number of unexploded ordnance in Raqa is something that we have never seen before. It&#39;s extreme,&quot; said Panos Moumtzis, the UN regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria.

Between 50 and 70 people were being wounded or killed every week because of mines in the city.

&quot;Just to give you a point of comparison, it&#39;s the number that takes place in Afghanistan in a year,&quot; Moumtzis said.

&quot;It&#39;s planted with a view to kill.&quot;

&nbsp;

The Islamic State group was ousted from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa in October, but it left mines scattered across the ravaged city.

Mohammed Kuraji returned to Syria's Raqa to prepare a homecoming but ended up organising a funeral. Stepping into his home, an unexploded mine detonated and killed his elderly father. "It was terrifying. The blast was so strong that I couldn't hear," said the 26-year-old, who was also wounded in the incident two months ago. The Islamic State group was ousted from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa in October, but it left mines scattered across the ravaged city. Residents are desperate to return home, but they are being maimed and killed by unexploded -- and sometimes insidiously hidden -- ordnance. Under piles of rubble, behind old refrigerator doors, in blown-out buildings, IS has sown death everywhere. The explosives in Kuraji's home were triggered when his father leaned down to pick up a copy of the Koran. "I was thrown back into the neighbour's house and a wall collapsed onto my father," said Kuraji, who has two young children. He said from under a mountain of blankets, pulling back the covers to reveal his legs, set in place by splints and screws in his shins. Minehunting The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces ousted IS from Raqa in October, then handed the city over to the Raqa Civil Council. But Raqa natives are complaining that demining firms hired by the RCC are taking too long, and have taken matters into their own hands. Young men are charging up to $100 to search and clear homes of mines -- a small fortune for war-weary Syrians. "It's becoming a lucrative business. The officials are ignoring it, and we don't have the means," said resident Hamed Saleh, 28. A large part of his home in Raqa is inaccessible because of mines. "At any moment, even if a cat is just passing by, a bomb could go off. It's terrifying," said Saleh. According to Human Rights Watch, local officials were receiving about 10 requests for house inspections for a single neighbourhood, every day. But they were only able to clear about 10 cases per week across the entire city, the New York-based rights group said this week. It documented at least 491 people, including 157 children, wounded in mine blasts, many of whom died. Goh Mayama of the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said his clinic receives an average of six mine blast casualties a day on average in Raqa, about a quarter of whom die. 'A view to kill' Demining operations in Raqa have been supported by the US-led coalition that backed the SDF's drive against IS. In December, the SDF said it had demined half the city. "The hospitals, public institutions, schools, power stations, and bakeries are all demined," said SDF official Lokman Khalil. "Raqa's a big city. There's a huge number of mines and it'll take time," he said. He said the SDF had tried to keep civilians away, but Raqa natives eager to leave displacement camps and come home had ramped up the pressure. Now, the city's main streets have been cleared for traffic, though mounds of debris still line the sidewalks. Outside one damaged building, a group of children in oversized sweaters rummages through a pile of twisted metal and corrugated iron. Men with picks and shovels poke through the ruins, emerging occasionally with an unexploded mine. "We're paying people out of our own pockets to clear our streets and houses," said Abu Mohammed, a resident in his forties. The four-storey apartment building he owns has been completely destroyed, but he cannot begin rebuilding because of mines inside. "I have three kids. I keep them locked at home so that mines don't go off as they walk in the streets," he said. According to the United Nations, some 60,000 people have returned to Raqa despite warnings of the danger. "The number of unexploded ordnance in Raqa is something that we have never seen before. It's extreme," said Panos Moumtzis, the UN regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria. Between 50 and 70 people were being wounded or killed every week because of mines in the city. "Just to give you a point of comparison, it's the number that takes place in Afghanistan in a year," Moumtzis said. "It's planted with a view to kill."

Desperate to come home, Syrians brave IS mines in Raqa

&nbsp;Russia, the Syrian regime&#39;s main backer, plans to help Damascus relaunch its energy industry which has been devastated by years of conflict, Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said.

&quot;We have signed a roadmap, not only in the field of electricity, but also oil and gas, covering the restoration of oil fields and the development of new deposits,&quot; Kovak was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies yesterday.

He did not name any Russian companies that may be involved.

As the main international backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime, Russia has committed itself to aiding in the country&#39;s reconstruction.

Last week an agreement was signed on the &quot;rehabilitation, modernisation and construction of new energy facilities in Syria&quot; Russia&#39;s energy ministry said on its website.

&quot;We attach great importance to restoring the Syrian economy, especially the oil and gas sectors which will certainly contribute to the normalisation of the economic and social situation in the country,&quot; said Novak.

In December a Russian business and political delegation visited Damascus to discuss investment and reconstruction with Assad, including oil and gas projects but also electricity, phosphates, transport and trade.

&quot;Syria is a land of unlimited riches,&quot; Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who led the delegation, said at the time.

&quot;Russian companies have the moral right to develop large-scale economic projects here,&quot; Rogozin said then.

Russia intervened in the Syrian conflict in September 2015 in support of Assad.

In December last year, President Vladimir Putin ordered the partial retreat of Russian troops from Syria.

'We have signed a roadmap, not only in the field of electricity but also oil and gas, covering the restoration of oil fields and the development of new deposits,' Alexander Novak

Russia, the Syrian regime's main backer, plans to help Damascus relaunch its energy industry which has been devastated by years of conflict, Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said. "We have signed a roadmap, not only in the field of electricity, but also oil and gas, covering the restoration of oil fields and the development of new deposits," Kovak was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies yesterday. He did not name any Russian companies that may be involved. As the main international backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, Russia has committed itself to aiding in the country's reconstruction. Last week an agreement was signed on the "rehabilitation, modernisation and construction of new energy facilities in Syria" Russia's energy ministry said on its website. "We attach great importance to restoring the Syrian economy, especially the oil and gas sectors which will certainly contribute to the normalisation of the economic and social situation in the country," said Novak. In December a Russian business and political delegation visited Damascus to discuss investment and reconstruction with Assad, including oil and gas projects but also electricity, phosphates, transport and trade. "Syria is a land of unlimited riches," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who led the delegation, said at the time. "Russian companies have the moral right to develop large-scale economic projects here," Rogozin said then. Russia intervened in the Syrian conflict in September 2015 in support of Assad. In December last year, President Vladimir Putin ordered the partial retreat of Russian troops from Syria.

Russia wants to help Syria relaunch oil production

The current situation in Syria seems to have gotten worse since the United Nations decided to conduct a month-long humanitarian ceasefire.&nbsp;

The UN had called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria on Tuesday as heavy air strikes were reported to have killed scores of people in the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus.

The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Ali al-Za&#39;tari said on Monday that Syria has witnessed &quot;some of the worst fighting of the entire conflict&quot; since the decision.

There are reports of &quot;hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries, massive displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities,&quot; Za&#39;tari said in an emailed statement.&nbsp;

Syria&rsquo;s President Bashar al-Assad is, with the support of Iranian-backed militias and the Russian air force, pursuing military offensives against insurgents in his opponents&rsquo; last major strongholds in the west of the country.

Separately, UN war crimes experts said they were investigating several reports of bombs allegedly containing chlorine gas being used against civilians in the rebel-held towns of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib and Douma in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday&rsquo;s bombardment of Eastern Ghouta had killed 63 people. A local official, Khalil Aybour, put the toll at 53.

On Monday, air strikes killed 30 people in Eastern Ghouta, the Observatory said.

Insurgent shelling of government-held Damascus killed three people, the Observatory, and Syrian state media reported.

Air strikes also killed at least six people in rebel-held Idlib including five in Tarmala village, the Observatory said.

UN officials in Syria called for fighting to stop to enable aid deliveries and the evacuation of sick and wounded, listing seven areas of concern including northern Syria&rsquo;s Kurdish-led Afrin region, being targeted by a Turkish offensive.

&nbsp;

(With input from Reuters)&nbsp;

The UN had called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria on Tuesday as heavy air strikes were reported to have killed scores of people in the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus

The current situation in Syria seems to have gotten worse since the United Nations decided to conduct a month-long humanitarian ceasefire. The UN had called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria on Tuesday as heavy air strikes were reported to have killed scores of people in the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus. The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Ali al-Za'tari said on Monday that Syria has witnessed "some of the worst fighting of the entire conflict" since the decision. There are reports of "hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries, massive displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities," Za'tari said in an emailed statement. Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad is, with the support of Iranian-backed militias and the Russian air force, pursuing military offensives against insurgents in his opponents’ last major strongholds in the west of the country. Separately, UN war crimes experts said they were investigating several reports of bombs allegedly containing chlorine gas being used against civilians in the rebel-held towns of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib and Douma in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday’s bombardment of Eastern Ghouta had killed 63 people. A local official, Khalil Aybour, put the toll at 53. On Monday, air strikes killed 30 people in Eastern Ghouta, the Observatory said. Insurgent shelling of government-held Damascus killed three people, the Observatory, and Syrian state media reported. Air strikes also killed at least six people in rebel-held Idlib including five in Tarmala village, the Observatory said. UN officials in Syria called for fighting to stop to enable aid deliveries and the evacuation of sick and wounded, listing seven areas of concern including northern Syria’s Kurdish-led Afrin region, being targeted by a Turkish offensive. (With input from Reuters)

Situation in Syria worse since call for ceasefire: UN

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Richest 1% own 73% of India's wealth: Report According to an international study published by the Oxfam group, close to 73% of India's wealth was cornered by India's richest 1%. CJI-led bench of Supreme Court to hear Justice Loya death case today The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by three petitioners seeking probe by a Special Investigation Tribunal (SIT) into the alleged mysterious death of CBI judge Justice BH Loya in 2014. PM Modi to leave for Davos today for World Economic Forum Prime Minister Narendra Modi today leave for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Turkish troops, tanks enter Syria to fight Kurdish militia Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint. US Senate postpones vote on ending shutdown to noon Monday The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday.

WION Morning News Brief, January 22, 2018

Iran&#39;s Foreign Ministry on Sunday urged Turkey to protect the territorial integrity of Syria.

Iranian Foreign Minister&#39;s spokesman Bahram Qasemi on Sunday noted that the Islamic republic is concerned about the recent developments in Syria.&nbsp;

Qasemi&#39;s statement came in the wake of the Turkish launch of operation against Kurdish militants entering Syria.

Iran also hoped the Turkish operation to end immediately in order to prevent any more border-region crisis between the two nations.&nbsp;

The foreign ministry urged Turkey to remain committed to political measures to settle the Syrian crisis.

Turkey&#39;s Operation Olive Branch was launched on Saturday with an aim to clear its borders from the People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG).

Ankara considers the YPG as a Kurdish group tied to Syria&#39;s Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK).

The Ankara-led military operation aims to establish a security zone in Afrin -- 30kms from the Turkish border.&nbsp;

The foreign minister urged Turkey to remain committed to political measures to settle the Syrian crisis

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday urged Turkey to protect the territorial integrity of Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister's spokesman Bahram Qasemi on Sunday noted that the Islamic republic is concerned about the recent developments in Syria. Qasemi's statement came in the wake of the Turkish launch of operation against Kurdish militants entering Syria. Iran also hoped the Turkish operation to end immediately in order to prevent any more border-region crisis between the two nations. The foreign ministry urged Turkey to remain committed to political measures to settle the Syrian crisis. Turkey's Operation Olive Branch was launched on Saturday with an aim to clear its borders from the People's Protection Units (YPG). Ankara considers the YPG as a Kurdish group tied to Syria's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The Ankara-led military operation aims to establish a security zone in Afrin -- 30kms from the Turkish border.

Respect Syria's territorial integrity, Iran urges Turkey

Turkish ground troops entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rocket fire hit a border town in apparent retaliation.

Turkey on Saturday launched operation &quot;Olive Branch&quot; seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the Peoples&#39; Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a terror group.

But the campaign risks further increasing tensions with Turkey&#39;s NATO ally the United States -- which has supported the YPG in the fight against Islamic State jihadists -- and also needs at least the tacit support of Russia to succeed.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said troops crossed into the YPG-controlled region in Syria at 0805 GMT, the Dogan news agency reported.

Turkish artillery and warplanes pounded YPG sites around Afrin and total of 153 targets, including YPG refuges and weapons stores have now been hit, according to the army.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the Turkish troops, whose number was not specified, were advancing alongside forces from the pro-Ankara rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and were already five kilometres (three miles) inside Syria.

An AFP correspondent on the southwestern edge of the Afrin region saw a warplane bombing the western outskirts of the area early on Sunday.&nbsp;

A small unit from a Turkish-backed rebel group was manning a monitoring point on a hilltop overlooking several Kurdish-controlled villages below.

&#39;No need to worry&#39;&nbsp;

The operation is Turkey&#39;s second major incursion into Syria during the seven-year civil war after the August 2016-March 2017 Euphrates Shield campaign in an area to the east of Afrin against both the YPG and IS.

The army said IS was also being targeted in this operation although it no longer has any major presence in the Afrin area.&nbsp;

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had repeatedly vowed that Turkey would root out the &quot;nests of terror&quot; in Syria of the YPG, which Ankara accuses of being the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK).

The PKK, which has waged a rebellion in the Turkish southeast for more than three decades, is regarded as a terror group not just by Ankara and but also its Western allies.

Afrin is an enclave of YPG control, cut off from the longer strip of northern Syria that the group controls to the east extending to the Iraqi border. Turkey wants the YPG to retreat east of the Euphrates River.

Yildirim was quoted as saying that the Turkish forces aimed to create a security zone some 30 kilometres (18 miles) deep inside Syria.

The YPG said that after the first strikes on Saturday 10 people were killed, including seven civilians. The Turkish army said there were casualties but insisted they were all members either of the YPG or the PKK.

A YPG spokesman claimed that the Turkish forces had sought to enter Afrin &quot;but we blocked the attack&quot;.

In a sign of the risks to Turkey, four rockets fired by the YPG hit the border town of Kilis early Sunday, damaging one building and lightly wounding a woman.

&quot;No one lost their life,&quot; Kilis governor Mehmet Tekinarslan said, quoted by Dogan. &quot;They can fire one rocket at us and we will fire 100 back. There is no need to worry.&quot;

&#39;Russian green light?&#39; 

Turkey risks entering a diplomatic minefield with its action in Syria and the foreign ministry lost no time in inviting the ambassadors of all major powers to be briefed on the offensive.

The ministry said it had even informed Damascus through its Istanbul consulate. But the Syrian regime, which is at odds with Turkey, strongly denied this, denouncing the operation as a &quot;brutal Turkish aggression&quot;.

There was no immediate comment from the United States on the offensive but ahead of its launch, a senior State Department official had raised concerns it risked being harmful for security in the region.

But even more crucial is the attitude of Russia, which has a military presence in the area and is also working with Turkey on a drive to end the civil war.

The Russian foreign ministry voiced concern and urged Turkey to show restraint. And the defence ministry said its troops were withdrawing from the Afrin area to ensure their security and prevent any &quot;provocation&quot;. 
Timur Akhmetov, Ankara-based researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council, told AFP that Russia appeared to have given the &quot;green light&quot; to the operation but made clear it should not lead to destabilisation elsewhere.

&quot;I don&#39;t think Russia will agree to let Turkey occupy the whole Afrin region and insists on keeping the Syrian government in charge,&quot; he added.

Turkey on Saturday launched operation "Olive Branch" seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a terror group.

Turkish ground troops entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rocket fire hit a border town in apparent retaliation. Turkey on Saturday launched operation "Olive Branch" seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a terror group. But the campaign risks further increasing tensions with Turkey's NATO ally the United States -- which has supported the YPG in the fight against Islamic State jihadists -- and also needs at least the tacit support of Russia to succeed. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said troops crossed into the YPG-controlled region in Syria at 0805 GMT, the Dogan news agency reported. Turkish artillery and warplanes pounded YPG sites around Afrin and total of 153 targets, including YPG refuges and weapons stores have now been hit, according to the army. The state-run Anadolu news agency said the Turkish troops, whose number was not specified, were advancing alongside forces from the pro-Ankara rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and were already five kilometres (three miles) inside Syria. An AFP correspondent on the southwestern edge of the Afrin region saw a warplane bombing the western outskirts of the area early on Sunday. A small unit from a Turkish-backed rebel group was manning a monitoring point on a hilltop overlooking several Kurdish-controlled villages below. 'No need to worry' The operation is Turkey's second major incursion into Syria during the seven-year civil war after the August 2016-March 2017 Euphrates Shield campaign in an area to the east of Afrin against both the YPG and IS. The army said IS was also being targeted in this operation although it no longer has any major presence in the Afrin area. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had repeatedly vowed that Turkey would root out the "nests of terror" in Syria of the YPG, which Ankara accuses of being the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK, which has waged a rebellion in the Turkish southeast for more than three decades, is regarded as a terror group not just by Ankara and but also its Western allies. Afrin is an enclave of YPG control, cut off from the longer strip of northern Syria that the group controls to the east extending to the Iraqi border. Turkey wants the YPG to retreat east of the Euphrates River. Yildirim was quoted as saying that the Turkish forces aimed to create a security zone some 30 kilometres (18 miles) deep inside Syria. The YPG said that after the first strikes on Saturday 10 people were killed, including seven civilians. The Turkish army said there were casualties but insisted they were all members either of the YPG or the PKK. A YPG spokesman claimed that the Turkish forces had sought to enter Afrin "but we blocked the attack". In a sign of the risks to Turkey, four rockets fired by the YPG hit the border town of Kilis early Sunday, damaging one building and lightly wounding a woman. "No one lost their life," Kilis governor Mehmet Tekinarslan said, quoted by Dogan. "They can fire one rocket at us and we will fire 100 back. There is no need to worry." 'Russian green light?' Turkey risks entering a diplomatic minefield with its action in Syria and the foreign ministry lost no time in inviting the ambassadors of all major powers to be briefed on the offensive. The ministry said it had even informed Damascus through its Istanbul consulate. But the Syrian regime, which is at odds with Turkey, strongly denied this, denouncing the operation as a "brutal Turkish aggression". There was no immediate comment from the United States on the offensive but ahead of its launch, a senior State Department official had raised concerns it risked being harmful for security in the region. But even more crucial is the attitude of Russia, which has a military presence in the area and is also working with Turkey on a drive to end the civil war. The Russian foreign ministry voiced concern and urged Turkey to show restraint. And the defence ministry said its troops were withdrawing from the Afrin area to ensure their security and prevent any "provocation". Timur Akhmetov, Ankara-based researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council, told AFP that Russia appeared to have given the "green light" to the operation but made clear it should not lead to destabilisation elsewhere. "I don't think Russia will agree to let Turkey occupy the whole Afrin region and insists on keeping the Syrian government in charge," he added.

Turkish troops enter Syria in operation against Kurdish militia

Turkey has killed at least 260 Syrian Kurdish fighters and Islamic State militants in its four-day-old offensive into the Kurdish-dominated Afrin region of northwest Syria, the Turkish military said on Tuesday.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump plans to raise concerns with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call expected on Wednesday about Ankara&#39;s offensive against US-backed Kurdish YPG forces in Afrin, a senior US&nbsp;official said.

French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced disquiet, a few hours after Turkey&#39;s foreign minister said it wanted to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian government forces during its offensive but would do whatever necessary for its security.

The air and ground operation has opened a new front in Syria&#39;s multi-sided civil war and could threaten US&nbsp;plans to stabilise and rebuild a large area of northeast Syria - beyond President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s control - where Washington helped a force dominated by the YPG to drive out Islamic State militants.

The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria backing opposing sides and have called for restraint on the part of Ankara&#39;s &quot;Operation Olive Branch&quot; to crush the YPG in the Afrin region near Turkey&#39;s southern border.

A senior Trump administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said Ankara had sent &quot;conflicting signals&quot; about the scope of the offensive.

&quot;We would urge them to limit the incursion as much as possible,&quot; the official said, who said the phone call would happen soon. Another official - as well as Turkey&#39;s foreign minister - said Erdogan and Trump planned to speak on Wednesday.

A statement by Macron&#39;s office said: &quot;Taking into account Turkey&#39;s security imperatives, the president expressed to his Turkish counterpart his concerns following the military intervention launched on Saturday in Afrin.&quot;

Erdogan told Macron on Tuesday Turkey was taking all measures to prevent civilian casualties in the Afrin operation, sources at the presidential palace said. The two leaders agreed to stay in close contact on the issue.

The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had also discussed Turkey&#39;s military operation Erdogan by phone and that Syria&#39;s territorial integrity and sovereignty had to be respected.

A Kremlin statement said both men stressed the importance of continuing their two countries&#39; joint work to try to find a peaceful resolution to Syria&#39;s crisis. Russia has been Assad&#39;s most powerful ally against rebels and militants in Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated Ankara&#39;s demand that Washington stops supporting the YPG.

Ankara has said the operation will be swift, but Erdogan&#39;s spokesman signalled an open-ended cross-border campaign, saying it would end only when some 3.5 million Syrian refugees now living in Turkey could safely return home.

The United States hopes to use the YPG&#39;s control in northern Syria to give it the diplomatic muscle it needs to revive U.N.-led talks in Geneva on a deal that would end Syria&rsquo;s civil war.

Near breaking point&nbsp;

Ankara has been infuriated by the U.S. support for the YPG, which is one of several issues that have brought ties between Washington and its Muslim NATO ally close to breaking point.

&quot;The future of our relations depends on the step the United States will take next,&quot; Cavusoglu said.

Turkey&#39;s military, the second largest in NATO, has conducted air strikes and artillery barrages against targets in Afrin, and its soldiers and allied Syrian rebels tried to thrust into the Kurdish-held district from west, north and eastern flanks.

With heavy cloud cover hindering air support in the last 24 hours, advances have been limited and the Kurdish militia have retaken some territory. Turkish troops and the Syrian fighters have been trying to take the summit of Bursaya Hill, overlooking the eastern approach to Afrin town.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 23 civilians had been killed in Turkish shelling and air strikes, and thousands were fleeing the fighting.

However, Syrian government forces were preventing people from crossing government-held checkpoints to reach the Kurdish-held districts of nearby Aleppo city, it said.

YPG Threat

US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Turkey&#39;s offensive distracted from efforts to defeat Islamic State. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the United States wanted to see Turkey &quot;de-escalate,&quot; which Trump would raise in the call with Erdogan.

Ankara says the jihadist group is largely finished in Syria and that the greater threat comes from the YPG, which it sees as an extension of a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long separatist insurgency inside Turkey.

Erdogan has said Turkey aims to destroy YPG control not just in the Afrin enclave but also in the mainly Arab town of Manbij to the east. &quot;Terrorists in Manbij are constantly firing provocation shots. If the United States doesn&#39;t stop this, we will stop it,&quot; Cavusoglu was reported as saying on Tuesday.

&quot;Our goal is not to clash with Russians, the Syrian regime or the United States, it is to battle the terrorist organisation,&quot; broadcaster Haberturk quoted him as saying.

&quot;We will not live with fear and threats,&quot; Cavusoglu said.

He tweeted that a lieutenant had become the second Turkish soldier to be killed in the operation. The Observatory said 43 rebels fighting alongside the Turks had also been killed, as well as 38 on the Kurdish side.

Later on Tuesday Cavusoglu discussed the crisis with US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a conference in Paris.

Erdogan&#39;s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said the military operations would continue until Syrian refugees in Turkey &quot;return home safely and the separatist terror organisation has been cleansed from the region&quot;.

The Kurdish-led administration of northeastern Syria appealed for a mass mobilisation in defence of Afrin. &quot;We call on all our people to defend Afrin and its pride, and contribute in all the related activities,&quot; it said, without elaborating.

AUN&nbsp;report, citing local sources, said about 5,000 people in the Afrin district had been displaced as of Monday but that some of the most vulnerable had been unable to flee. It said the United Nations was ready to provide aid to 50,000 in Afrin. 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump plans to raise concerns with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call expected on Wednesday

Turkey has killed at least 260 Syrian Kurdish fighters and Islamic State militants in its four-day-old offensive into the Kurdish-dominated Afrin region of northwest Syria, the Turkish military said on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump plans to raise concerns with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call expected on Wednesday about Ankara's offensive against US-backed Kurdish YPG forces in Afrin, a senior US official said. French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced disquiet, a few hours after Turkey's foreign minister said it wanted to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian government forces during its offensive but would do whatever necessary for its security. The air and ground operation has opened a new front in Syria's multi-sided civil war and could threaten US plans to stabilise and rebuild a large area of northeast Syria - beyond President Bashar al-Assad's control - where Washington helped a force dominated by the YPG to drive out Islamic State militants. The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria backing opposing sides and have called for restraint on the part of Ankara's "Operation Olive Branch" to crush the YPG in the Afrin region near Turkey's southern border. A senior Trump administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said Ankara had sent "conflicting signals" about the scope of the offensive. "We would urge them to limit the incursion as much as possible," the official said, who said the phone call would happen soon. Another official - as well as Turkey's foreign minister - said Erdogan and Trump planned to speak on Wednesday. A statement by Macron's office said: "Taking into account Turkey's security imperatives, the president expressed to his Turkish counterpart his concerns following the military intervention launched on Saturday in Afrin." Erdogan told Macron on Tuesday Turkey was taking all measures to prevent civilian casualties in the Afrin operation, sources at the presidential palace said. The two leaders agreed to stay in close contact on the issue. The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had also discussed Turkey's military operation Erdogan by phone and that Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty had to be respected. A Kremlin statement said both men stressed the importance of continuing their two countries' joint work to try to find a peaceful resolution to Syria's crisis. Russia has been Assad's most powerful ally against rebels and militants in Syria. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated Ankara's demand that Washington stops supporting the YPG. Ankara has said the operation will be swift, but Erdogan's spokesman signalled an open-ended cross-border campaign, saying it would end only when some 3.5 million Syrian refugees now living in Turkey could safely return home. The United States hopes to use the YPG's control in northern Syria to give it the diplomatic muscle it needs to revive U.N.-led talks in Geneva on a deal that would end Syria’s civil war. Near breaking point Ankara has been infuriated by the U.S. support for the YPG, which is one of several issues that have brought ties between Washington and its Muslim NATO ally close to breaking point. "The future of our relations depends on the step the United States will take next," Cavusoglu said. Turkey's military, the second largest in NATO, has conducted air strikes and artillery barrages against targets in Afrin, and its soldiers and allied Syrian rebels tried to thrust into the Kurdish-held district from west, north and eastern flanks. With heavy cloud cover hindering air support in the last 24 hours, advances have been limited and the Kurdish militia have retaken some territory. Turkish troops and the Syrian fighters have been trying to take the summit of Bursaya Hill, overlooking the eastern approach to Afrin town. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said 23 civilians had been killed in Turkish shelling and air strikes, and thousands were fleeing the fighting. However, Syrian government forces were preventing people from crossing government-held checkpoints to reach the Kurdish-held districts of nearby Aleppo city, it said. YPG Threat US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Turkey's offensive distracted from efforts to defeat Islamic State. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the United States wanted to see Turkey "de-escalate," which Trump would raise in the call with Erdogan. Ankara says the jihadist group is largely finished in Syria and that the greater threat comes from the YPG, which it sees as an extension of a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long separatist insurgency inside Turkey. Erdogan has said Turkey aims to destroy YPG control not just in the Afrin enclave but also in the mainly Arab town of Manbij to the east. "Terrorists in Manbij are constantly firing provocation shots. If the United States doesn't stop this, we will stop it," Cavusoglu was reported as saying on Tuesday. "Our goal is not to clash with Russians, the Syrian regime or the United States, it is to battle the terrorist organisation," broadcaster Haberturk quoted him as saying. "We will not live with fear and threats," Cavusoglu said. He tweeted that a lieutenant had become the second Turkish soldier to be killed in the operation. The Observatory said 43 rebels fighting alongside the Turks had also been killed, as well as 38 on the Kurdish side. Later on Tuesday Cavusoglu discussed the crisis with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a conference in Paris. Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said the military operations would continue until Syrian refugees in Turkey "return home safely and the separatist terror organisation has been cleansed from the region". The Kurdish-led administration of northeastern Syria appealed for a mass mobilisation in defence of Afrin. "We call on all our people to defend Afrin and its pride, and contribute in all the related activities," it said, without elaborating. AUN report, citing local sources, said about 5,000 people in the Afrin district had been displaced as of Monday but that some of the most vulnerable had been unable to flee. It said the United Nations was ready to provide aid to 50,000 in Afrin.

Turkey kills at least 260 Kurdish, Islamic State fighters in Syria offensive

Turkey continued to fire artillery at a US-backed Kurdish militia in northern Syria on Sunday, after Turkey&#39;s state media said four rockets from Syria had hit a Turkish border town.

The cross-border fire marked the second day of Turkey&#39;s new front in the nearly seven-year-old Syrian civil war. Under &quot;Operation Olive Branch&quot;, Turkish airstrikes on Saturday pounded positions of the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia in the northern Afrin province.

A Reuters reporter at the Oncupinar gate on the Turkish side of the border with Syria, could hear the boom of outgoing artillery, with one being fired roughly every three minutes.

Military convoys were travelling near the gate, with one transporter carrying several tanks.

&quot;In its second day, #OliveBranchOperation continues to ensure peace and security for our people, protect Syria&rsquo;s territorial integrity and eliminate all terrorist elements in the region,&quot; Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said on Twitter.

&quot;Turkey expects its allies to support its fight against terrorism in all of its forms.&quot;

Turkey&#39;s state-run Anadolu news agency earlier reported that four rockets fired from Syria hit the border town of Kilis overnight, damaging houses.

Turkish security forces retaliated in kind, it said.

The operation pits Turkey against Kurdish fighters allied to the United States at a time when ties between Turkey and Washington - NATO allies and members of the coalition against Islamic State - appear dangerously close to a breaking point.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-air-strikes-hit-syrias-afrin-province-in-push-to-secure-borders-30182">Saturday&#39;s strikes</a> on the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia hit some 108 targets, the Turkish military said. On land, the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army rebels were also helping the operation in Afrin, Turkish officials have said.

Turkey sees the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has carried out a deadly, three-decade insurgency in Turkey&#39;s mainly Kurdish southeast.

The United States is backing the YPG in Syria, seeing it as an effective partner in the fight against Islamic State.

Turkish airstrikes had on Saturday pounded positions of the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia in the northern Afrin province

Turkey continued to fire artillery at a US-backed Kurdish militia in northern Syria on Sunday, after Turkey's state media said four rockets from Syria had hit a Turkish border town. The cross-border fire marked the second day of Turkey's new front in the nearly seven-year-old Syrian civil war. Under "Operation Olive Branch", Turkish airstrikes on Saturday pounded positions of the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia in the northern Afrin province. A Reuters reporter at the Oncupinar gate on the Turkish side of the border with Syria, could hear the boom of outgoing artillery, with one being fired roughly every three minutes. Military convoys were travelling near the gate, with one transporter carrying several tanks. "In its second day, #OliveBranchOperation continues to ensure peace and security for our people, protect Syria’s territorial integrity and eliminate all terrorist elements in the region," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said on Twitter. "Turkey expects its allies to support its fight against terrorism in all of its forms." Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency earlier reported that four rockets fired from Syria hit the border town of Kilis overnight, damaging houses. Turkish security forces retaliated in kind, it said. The operation pits Turkey against Kurdish fighters allied to the United States at a time when ties between Turkey and Washington - NATO allies and members of the coalition against Islamic State - appear dangerously close to a breaking point. Saturday's strikes on the Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia hit some 108 targets, the Turkish military said. On land, the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army rebels were also helping the operation in Afrin, Turkish officials have said. Turkey sees the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has carried out a deadly, three-decade insurgency in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast. The United States is backing the YPG in Syria, seeing it as an effective partner in the fight against Islamic State.

Four rockets from Syria hit Turkish border town

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will send his Syria peace negotiator to a conference in Russia next week, a spokesman said Saturday, despite the Syrian opposition&#39;s boycott of the meeting.

Guterres &quot;is confident that the Congress in Sochi will be an important contribution&quot; to reviving the peace talks held under UN auspices in Geneva, a UN spokesman said in a statement.

Russia had long sought UN participation in the conference opening Monday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to lend credibility to its diplomatic efforts to end the six-year war.

Hours earlier, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura ended a ninth round of UN-sponsored talks in Vienna, with no sign of progress toward a peace deal.

&quot;I share the immense frustration of millions of Syrians inside and outside the country at the lack of a political settlement to date,&quot; De Mistura said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric indicated that Guterres had received assurances that the Sochi conference would not seek to sideline the UN talks.&nbsp;

Guterres was briefed by De Mistura on the outcome of the Vienna talks, and has taken into account a statement from Russia that the result of the Sochi conference &quot;would be brought to Geneva as a contribution to the intra-Syrian talks process under the auspices of the United Nations,&quot; the spokesman said in a statement.

The UN chief has &quot;decided to accept the invitation of the Russian Federation to send a representative to attend the Sochi Congress&quot; and has asked De Mistura to go, he added.

Russia has invited more than 1,500 delegates to the two-day conference that the West views with suspicion.

In Vienna, the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC) announced it would not be attending the Sochi conference.

Assad&#39;s fate&nbsp;

The main opposition coalition fears that Russia will push a peace deal that will keep President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s authority intact after six years of bloodshed.

The Russian foreign ministry welcomed Guterres&#39; decision and said the Vienna talks had &quot;focused in particular on the problems of constitutional reform&quot; - a process that could determine whether or how Assad remains in power.

&quot;On these issues, a mutual agreement was reached between the Russian side and the UN representatives, on the sidelines of the Vienna meeting,&quot; said a foreign ministry statement issued in Moscow.

On the ground, Syrian forces have pressed on with an offensive in rebel-held Idlib launched in late December, with Russian backing.&nbsp;

Assad&#39;s forces were on the defensive in the first few years of the war, but since Russia militarily intervened in 2015 they have regained the upper hand.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Britain and France have put forward a proposal that would involve strengthening the role of Syria&#39;s prime minister -- at the expense of Assad&#39;s authority, according to a leaked document circulated online.

Syrian government negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters in Vienna it was &quot;tantamount to a black comedy&quot; that these countries were seeking to shape Syria&#39;s political future.

&quot;All of them have participated in the bloodshed of the Syrian people,&quot; he said of the five nations, blasting the United States as the country &quot;that created ISIS,&quot; and adding that Saudi Arabia was anything but a &quot;beacon of freedom in the east.&quot;

Two weeks ago, Turkey launched air strikes and shelling against Kurdish militias in northern Syria, marking a dangerous new escalation in the conflict.

That development has raised tensions between Turkey - which along with Iran backs the Russian conference in Sochi - and the United States, which has supported the Kurdish militias in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group.

More than 340,000 people have died in the war, millions have fled their homes and the fighting has left the country in ruins. 
&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will send his Syria peace negotiator to a conference in Russia next week

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will send his Syria peace negotiator to a conference in Russia next week, a spokesman said Saturday, despite the Syrian opposition's boycott of the meeting. Guterres "is confident that the Congress in Sochi will be an important contribution" to reviving the peace talks held under UN auspices in Geneva, a UN spokesman said in a statement. Russia had long sought UN participation in the conference opening Monday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to lend credibility to its diplomatic efforts to end the six-year war. Hours earlier, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura ended a ninth round of UN-sponsored talks in Vienna, with no sign of progress toward a peace deal. "I share the immense frustration of millions of Syrians inside and outside the country at the lack of a political settlement to date," De Mistura said. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric indicated that Guterres had received assurances that the Sochi conference would not seek to sideline the UN talks. Guterres was briefed by De Mistura on the outcome of the Vienna talks, and has taken into account a statement from Russia that the result of the Sochi conference "would be brought to Geneva as a contribution to the intra-Syrian talks process under the auspices of the United Nations," the spokesman said in a statement. The UN chief has "decided to accept the invitation of the Russian Federation to send a representative to attend the Sochi Congress" and has asked De Mistura to go, he added. Russia has invited more than 1,500 delegates to the two-day conference that the West views with suspicion. In Vienna, the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC) announced it would not be attending the Sochi conference. Assad's fate The main opposition coalition fears that Russia will push a peace deal that will keep President Bashar al-Assad's authority intact after six years of bloodshed. The Russian foreign ministry welcomed Guterres' decision and said the Vienna talks had "focused in particular on the problems of constitutional reform" - a process that could determine whether or how Assad remains in power. "On these issues, a mutual agreement was reached between the Russian side and the UN representatives, on the sidelines of the Vienna meeting," said a foreign ministry statement issued in Moscow. On the ground, Syrian forces have pressed on with an offensive in rebel-held Idlib launched in late December, with Russian backing. Assad's forces were on the defensive in the first few years of the war, but since Russia militarily intervened in 2015 they have regained the upper hand. The United States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Britain and France have put forward a proposal that would involve strengthening the role of Syria's prime minister -- at the expense of Assad's authority, according to a leaked document circulated online. Syrian government negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters in Vienna it was "tantamount to a black comedy" that these countries were seeking to shape Syria's political future. "All of them have participated in the bloodshed of the Syrian people," he said of the five nations, blasting the United States as the country "that created ISIS," and adding that Saudi Arabia was anything but a "beacon of freedom in the east." Two weeks ago, Turkey launched air strikes and shelling against Kurdish militias in northern Syria, marking a dangerous new escalation in the conflict. That development has raised tensions between Turkey - which along with Iran backs the Russian conference in Sochi - and the United States, which has supported the Kurdish militias in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group. More than 340,000 people have died in the war, millions have fled their homes and the fighting has left the country in ruins.

UN will send Syria envoy to Russia conference

The United Nations will host a new round of peace talks on Syria next week in Vienna, a UN statement said Wednesday, just days before Russia opens a conference on ending the war.

The January 25-26 talks will be followed by a peace congress in Russia&#39;s Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 29 and 30 aimed at finding a settlement to the nearly seven-year war.

The UN said that special envoy Staffan de Mistura &quot;expects that delegations will be coming to Vienna prepared for substantive engagement with him.&quot;

It added that &quot;any political initiative by international actors should be assessed by its ability to contribute to and support the United Nations-facilitated Geneva political process and the full implementation of resolution 2254,&quot; a roadmap for ending the conflict set out in 2015.

Syria&#39;s six-year war has claimed more than 340,000 lives, forced millions to flee their homes and left Syria in ruins.

The January 25-26 talks will be followed by a peace congress in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 29 and 30 aimed at finding a settlement to the nearly seven-year war

The United Nations will host a new round of peace talks on Syria next week in Vienna, a UN statement said Wednesday, just days before Russia opens a conference on ending the war. The January 25-26 talks will be followed by a peace congress in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 29 and 30 aimed at finding a settlement to the nearly seven-year war. The UN said that special envoy Staffan de Mistura "expects that delegations will be coming to Vienna prepared for substantive engagement with him." It added that "any political initiative by international actors should be assessed by its ability to contribute to and support the United Nations-facilitated Geneva political process and the full implementation of resolution 2254," a roadmap for ending the conflict set out in 2015. Syria's six-year war has claimed more than 340,000 lives, forced millions to flee their homes and left Syria in ruins.

UN to host new round of peace talks on Syria next week

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it killed nearly 150 militants in strikes on Saturday in the Syrian middle Euphrates River Valley.

The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria and to focus on fighting Islamic State militants.

The United States has signalled an open-ended military presence in Syria as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State&rsquo;s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran&rsquo;s influence.

&quot;The precision strikes were a culmination of extensive intelligence preparation to confirm an ISIS headquarters and command and control centre in an exclusively ISIS-occupied location in the contested middle Euphrates River Valley,&quot; a statement issued on Tuesday said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

The strikes took place near As Shafah, Syria and killed between 145 and 150 militants. The statement added that US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish YPG fighters, helped in target observation.

Turkey seeks to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian forces but will take any steps needed for its security, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday, the fourth day of its air and ground offensive against Kurdish forces.

The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria and have urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign, named Operation Olive Branch, to crush the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG in the Afrin region on Turkey&#39;s southern border.

&quot;Our SDF partners are still making daily progress and sacrifices, and together we are still finding, targeting and killing ISIS terrorists intent on keeping their extremist hold on the region,&quot; Major General James Jarrard, commander of special operations for the coalition, said in the statement.

The United States has led an international coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State since 2014. The&nbsp;US&nbsp;troops have served as advisers on the ground with Iraqi government forces and with Kurdish and Arab groups in Syria.

The coalition has said in the past that fewer than 1,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, but that the militant group still remains a threat. The figure excludes areas in western Syria under the control of Assad&rsquo;s government and his allies.

The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it killed nearly 150 militants in strikes on Saturday in the Syrian middle Euphrates River Valley. The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria and to focus on fighting Islamic State militants. The United States has signalled an open-ended military presence in Syria as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State’s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran’s influence. "The precision strikes were a culmination of extensive intelligence preparation to confirm an ISIS headquarters and command and control centre in an exclusively ISIS-occupied location in the contested middle Euphrates River Valley," a statement issued on Tuesday said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The strikes took place near As Shafah, Syria and killed between 145 and 150 militants. The statement added that US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish YPG fighters, helped in target observation. Turkey seeks to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian forces but will take any steps needed for its security, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday, the fourth day of its air and ground offensive against Kurdish forces. The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria and have urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign, named Operation Olive Branch, to crush the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG in the Afrin region on Turkey's southern border. "Our SDF partners are still making daily progress and sacrifices, and together we are still finding, targeting and killing ISIS terrorists intent on keeping their extremist hold on the region," Major General James Jarrard, commander of special operations for the coalition, said in the statement. The United States has led an international coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State since 2014. The US troops have served as advisers on the ground with Iraqi government forces and with Kurdish and Arab groups in Syria. The coalition has said in the past that fewer than 1,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, but that the militant group still remains a threat. The figure excludes areas in western Syria under the control of Assad’s government and his allies.

US-led strikes kill 150 Islamic State militants in Syria

Russia rejected Tuesday fresh US accusations that it bears responsibility for recent chemical attacks by the Syrian government, calling instead for a new &quot;truly impartial&quot; international investigation.

During a last-minute United Nations Security Council meeting he called, Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia lashed out at American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for having &quot;hastily accused the Syrian -- as they call it -- &#39;regime&#39;&quot; of the reported attack in Eastern Ghouta that left its victims struggling to breathe.

&quot;Now they are trying to drag Russia into this as well,&quot; Nebenzia added.

His comments came as diplomats from 29 countries met in Paris to push for sanctions and criminal charges against the perpetrators of chemical attacks in Syria.

Russia and China have blocked Western-backed efforts at the UN to impose sanctions on Damascus over their use.

&quot;Does it not seem strange to anybody that this episode, which has yet to be confirmed, somehow coincided with the meeting in Paris and the forthcoming conference in Sochi? This is a strange coincidence,&quot; Nebenzia added.

During the Security Council meeting, Nebenzia called again for establishing a &quot;new international investigative body which, on the basis of irrefutable information, would be able to establish evidence to identify perpetrators in the use of chemical weapons.&quot;

His plan would replace a chemical weapons panel known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, whose mandate could not be renewed due to Russian vetoes.

Moscow is also circulating a draft resolution that would establish the new investigative body that would be &quot;truly impartial, independent, professional and credible.&quot; Russia has repeatedly contested the JIM&#39;s legitimacy.

US envoy Nikki Haley quickly indicated the Russian proposal had no chance of being adopted. The United States also holds veto power at the Security Council.

&quot;We&#39;re not going to accept any Russian proposal that undermines our ability to get to the truth or that politicizes what must be an independent and impartial investigation,&quot; she said.

&quot;If they want to work in good faith toward that goal, we are ready to re-establish the JIM, with its original independent and impartial mandate, right now. But anything less is unacceptable.&quot;

She argued that Moscow had supported the JIM as long as its investigators pointed the finger at the so-called Islamic State group, but challenged their conclusions when they blamed the Syrian regime.

&quot;That is not how independent investigations work. You don&#39;t get to question the findings when they don&rsquo;t go your way,&quot; Haley said.

Damascus has been repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons, with the United Nations among those blaming government forces for an April 2017 sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun that left scores dead.

There have been at least 130 separate chemical weapons attacks in Syria since 2012, according to French estimates, with the Islamic State group also accused of using mustard gas in Syria and Iraq.

A new round of peace talks is due to take place in Vienna on Thursday and Friday, while Moscow has organized negotiations in the Russian city of Sochi next week aimed at ending Syria&#39;s civil war.

Russia has called for for a new 'truly impartial' international investigation

Russia rejected Tuesday fresh US accusations that it bears responsibility for recent chemical attacks by the Syrian government, calling instead for a new "truly impartial" international investigation. During a last-minute United Nations Security Council meeting he called, Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia lashed out at American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for having "hastily accused the Syrian -- as they call it -- 'regime'" of the reported attack in Eastern Ghouta that left its victims struggling to breathe. "Now they are trying to drag Russia into this as well," Nebenzia added. His comments came as diplomats from 29 countries met in Paris to push for sanctions and criminal charges against the perpetrators of chemical attacks in Syria. Russia and China have blocked Western-backed efforts at the UN to impose sanctions on Damascus over their use. "Does it not seem strange to anybody that this episode, which has yet to be confirmed, somehow coincided with the meeting in Paris and the forthcoming conference in Sochi? This is a strange coincidence," Nebenzia added. During the Security Council meeting, Nebenzia called again for establishing a "new international investigative body which, on the basis of irrefutable information, would be able to establish evidence to identify perpetrators in the use of chemical weapons." His plan would replace a chemical weapons panel known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism, whose mandate could not be renewed due to Russian vetoes. Moscow is also circulating a draft resolution that would establish the new investigative body that would be "truly impartial, independent, professional and credible." Russia has repeatedly contested the JIM's legitimacy. US envoy Nikki Haley quickly indicated the Russian proposal had no chance of being adopted. The United States also holds veto power at the Security Council. "We're not going to accept any Russian proposal that undermines our ability to get to the truth or that politicizes what must be an independent and impartial investigation," she said. "If they want to work in good faith toward that goal, we are ready to re-establish the JIM, with its original independent and impartial mandate, right now. But anything less is unacceptable." She argued that Moscow had supported the JIM as long as its investigators pointed the finger at the so-called Islamic State group, but challenged their conclusions when they blamed the Syrian regime. "That is not how independent investigations work. You don't get to question the findings when they don’t go your way," Haley said. Damascus has been repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons, with the United Nations among those blaming government forces for an April 2017 sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun that left scores dead. There have been at least 130 separate chemical weapons attacks in Syria since 2012, according to French estimates, with the Islamic State group also accused of using mustard gas in Syria and Iraq. A new round of peace talks is due to take place in Vienna on Thursday and Friday, while Moscow has organized negotiations in the Russian city of Sochi next week aimed at ending Syria's civil war.

Russia says it's not behind Syria chemical attacks

Air strikes on a village held by Islamic State in the eastern part of Syria`s Deir al-Zor province killed at least 13 people including seven women on Tuesday, Syrian state media and a war monitoring group reported on Thursday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the US-led coalition against Islamic State had carried out the air strikes.

Rival military campaigns by the Syrian army with its allies, and by militias backed by a U.S.-led international coalition, last year seized most of Islamic State`s territory in central and eastern Syria.&nbsp;

The jihadist militant group still holds patches of desert on either side of the Euphrates River in Deir al-Zor province, as well as isolated pockets of ground elsewhere in Syria.

The attack targeted Shafah, a village east of the Euphrates, and at least seven women were among 13 dead, the Observatory said. Syrian state media citing local sources as saying coalition air strikes had killed 15 civilians in the village, including seven women.

Asked to comment, the coalition did not specifically say whether it had carried out the strike or not. It referred in an email to an earlier statement saying that coalition strikes had killed an estimated 145-150 Islamic State fighters in a command centre near Shafah last Saturday.&nbsp;

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the US-led coalition against Islamic State had carried out the air strikes

Air strikes on a village held by Islamic State in the eastern part of Syria`s Deir al-Zor province killed at least 13 people including seven women on Tuesday, Syrian state media and a war monitoring group reported on Thursday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the US-led coalition against Islamic State had carried out the air strikes. Rival military campaigns by the Syrian army with its allies, and by militias backed by a U.S.-led international coalition, last year seized most of Islamic State`s territory in central and eastern Syria. The jihadist militant group still holds patches of desert on either side of the Euphrates River in Deir al-Zor province, as well as isolated pockets of ground elsewhere in Syria. The attack targeted Shafah, a village east of the Euphrates, and at least seven women were among 13 dead, the Observatory said. Syrian state media citing local sources as saying coalition air strikes had killed 15 civilians in the village, including seven women. Asked to comment, the coalition did not specifically say whether it had carried out the strike or not. It referred in an email to an earlier statement saying that coalition strikes had killed an estimated 145-150 Islamic State fighters in a command centre near Shafah last Saturday.

Air strikes kills at least 13 in east Syrian IS territory: Reports

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