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;

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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

Appalled by the air strike that killed 22 Syrian school children in Aleppo on Wednesday, the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon called for &quot;an immediate and impartial investigation&quot; and an end to &quot;such horrific acts&quot;, his spokesman said on Thursday.&nbsp;

&quot;If deliberate, this attack may amount to a war crime,&quot; Ban said in a statement from his spokesman. He also raised concerns about a series of attacks on civilian targets in Syria, now in its sixth year of war.&nbsp;

&quot;If such horrific acts persist despite global outrage, it is largely because their authors, whether in corridors of power or in insurgent redoubts, do not fear justice,&quot; he said. &quot;They must be proved wrong.&quot;

Former British prime minister Gordon Brown, who is the UN envoy for global education, earlier called on the Security Council to ask the ICC prosecutor to open up an investigation of the attack, describing it as a war crime.

The human rights observers in Syria said &quot;either Russian or Syrian warplanes were responsible for the six air strikes&quot; on Wednesday in the village in rebel-held Idlib province, which also hit the school complex. UNICEF said the compound had been &quot;repeatedly attacked&quot;.

But Moscow denied any involvement in the strikes, saying it had vowed to maintain a moratorium on strikes in the region.&nbsp;

&quot;The Russian Federation has nothing to do with this terrible tragedy, with this attack,&quot; foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, adding that Moscow demanded an immediate investigation.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The secretary general called for an immediate probe, adding that the repeated attacks on schools in Syria 'may amount to war crimes'

Appalled by the air strike that killed 22 Syrian school children in Aleppo on Wednesday, the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon called for "an immediate and impartial investigation" and an end to "such horrific acts", his spokesman said on Thursday. "If deliberate, this attack may amount to a war crime," Ban said in a statement from his spokesman. He also raised concerns about a series of attacks on civilian targets in Syria, now in its sixth year of war. "If such horrific acts persist despite global outrage, it is largely because their authors, whether in corridors of power or in insurgent redoubts, do not fear justice," he said. "They must be proved wrong." Former British prime minister Gordon Brown, who is the UN envoy for global education, earlier called on the Security Council to ask the ICC prosecutor to open up an investigation of the attack, describing it as a war crime. The human rights observers in Syria said "either Russian or Syrian warplanes were responsible for the six air strikes" on Wednesday in the village in rebel-held Idlib province, which also hit the school complex. UNICEF said the compound had been "repeatedly attacked". But Moscow denied any involvement in the strikes, saying it had vowed to maintain a moratorium on strikes in the region. "The Russian Federation has nothing to do with this terrible tragedy, with this attack," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, adding that Moscow demanded an immediate investigation. (WION with inputs from agencies)

UN chief demands probe into air strikes that killed 22 Syrian school children

The United Nations on Monday blamed all sides in Syria after renewed fighting and air strikes in the Syrian city of Aleppo prevented the medical evacuations and aid deliveries from reaching the war-ravaged city.&nbsp;

UN aid agencies had held days of negotiations to try to secure safe passage for the sick and wounded, but the effort came to a halt when fighting resumed after three days of truce.&nbsp;

&quot;It is deeply regrettable that no patients or accompanying family members could be moved,&quot; said Stephen O&#39;Brien, the UN&#39;s humanitarian aid coordinator. &quot;The evacuations were obstructed by various factors, including delays in receiving the necessary approvals from local authorities in eastern Aleppo,&quot; he said.

&quot;After three days of lull, parties to the conflict have still not agreed, military operations have resumed and violence is now escalating,&quot; said O&#39;Brien in a statement. &quot;The political and military paths are trumping basic humanity once again in Syria.&quot;

US secretary of state John too voiced concern to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov days after the Russian-called truce ended. &quot;They talked about the importance of the continued multilateral discussions in Geneva and how ... to get a meaningful cessation of hostilities and the delivery of humanitarian aid,&quot; state department spokesman John Kirby said.

Syria&#39;s main ally, Moscow had last week declared a humanitarian pause in the assault on eastern Aleppo, where more than 250,000 civilians have been trapped. But Russia had ruled out a renewal of the ceasefire and blamed rebel groups for blocking the medical evacuation.

The two leaders agreed that the negotiations in Geneva to search for ways to resolve the Aleppo crisis will continue. &nbsp;Lavrov told Kerry the United States must fulfil its obligation to separate moderate opposition groups from &quot;terrorists&quot; in Syria, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

During the phone call, Kerry had expressed concern about the renewal of air strikes and ground attacks in Aleppo by the Syrian government forces and their Russian supporters after a pause in the fighting for several days, Kirby said.

He also noted that humanitarian aid had still not made it through to people under siege in Aleppo, despite the pause in fighting.

No UN aid convoy has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned last week.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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Despite a Russian-called truce last week, UN aid agencies failed to deliver aid and evacuate wounded as violence continued unabated

The United Nations on Monday blamed all sides in Syria after renewed fighting and air strikes in the Syrian city of Aleppo prevented the medical evacuations and aid deliveries from reaching the war-ravaged city. UN aid agencies had held days of negotiations to try to secure safe passage for the sick and wounded, but the effort came to a halt when fighting resumed after three days of truce. "It is deeply regrettable that no patients or accompanying family members could be moved," said Stephen O'Brien, the UN's humanitarian aid coordinator. "The evacuations were obstructed by various factors, including delays in receiving the necessary approvals from local authorities in eastern Aleppo," he said. "After three days of lull, parties to the conflict have still not agreed, military operations have resumed and violence is now escalating," said O'Brien in a statement. "The political and military paths are trumping basic humanity once again in Syria." US secretary of state John too voiced concern to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov days after the Russian-called truce ended. "They talked about the importance of the continued multilateral discussions in Geneva and how ... to get a meaningful cessation of hostilities and the delivery of humanitarian aid," state department spokesman John Kirby said. Syria's main ally, Moscow had last week declared a humanitarian pause in the assault on eastern Aleppo, where more than 250,000 civilians have been trapped. But Russia had ruled out a renewal of the ceasefire and blamed rebel groups for blocking the medical evacuation. The two leaders agreed that the negotiations in Geneva to search for ways to resolve the Aleppo crisis will continue. Lavrov told Kerry the United States must fulfil its obligation to separate moderate opposition groups from "terrorists" in Syria, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. During the phone call, Kerry had expressed concern about the renewal of air strikes and ground attacks in Aleppo by the Syrian government forces and their Russian supporters after a pause in the fighting for several days, Kirby said. He also noted that humanitarian aid had still not made it through to people under siege in Aleppo, despite the pause in fighting. No UN aid convoy has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned last week. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Aleppo fighting intensifies as UN blames all sides for failure of Syria evacuation plan

Russians poised to transform its naval facility in the Syrian port city of Tartus into a permanent base after the country&#39;s lawmakers on Friday ratified a deal with Syria on its &quot;indefinite&quot; deployment of air forces.&nbsp;

The deal between Moscow and Damascus, signed in August 2015, paves the way for Russian jets to stay long-term in the war-torn nation.&nbsp;

&quot;In Syria, we will have a permanent naval base in Tartus,&quot; Russian news agencies quoted deputy defence minister Nikolai Pankov as saying.&nbsp;

Although Moscow did not give a timeline for turning the facility into a permanent base, the announcement represents the latest move by Russia to bolster its forces in Syria.&nbsp;

Last week, Russia had deployed its S-300 air defence missile system to protect the naval facility along with three missile ships. It had warned the United States it would halt any attempted air strikes in Syria.&nbsp;

Russia had also established its Hmeimin airbase last year to launch operations against the Islamic State, in support of President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
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A deal with Damascus allowing 'indefinite' deployment of Russian air forces in the country will bolster its campaign against Islamic State

Russians poised to transform its naval facility in the Syrian port city of Tartus into a permanent base after the country's lawmakers on Friday ratified a deal with Syria on its "indefinite" deployment of air forces. The deal between Moscow and Damascus, signed in August 2015, paves the way for Russian jets to stay long-term in the war-torn nation. "In Syria, we will have a permanent naval base in Tartus," Russian news agencies quoted deputy defence minister Nikolai Pankov as saying. Although Moscow did not give a timeline for turning the facility into a permanent base, the announcement represents the latest move by Russia to bolster its forces in Syria. Last week, Russia had deployed its S-300 air defence missile system to protect the naval facility along with three missile ships. It had warned the United States it would halt any attempted air strikes in Syria. Russia had also established its Hmeimin airbase last year to launch operations against the Islamic State, in support of President Bashar al-Assad. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Russia to establish permanent naval base in Syrian port city of Tartus

Syrian government forces advanced their assault on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo after a divided UN Security Council failed to agree on a truce plan.&nbsp;

The British-based monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes on the ground between regime forces and rebels went well into the night on Saturday and continued thereafter.&nbsp;

Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the monitor said the forces took control of the Jandul crossroads in the northeast of Aleppo in their latest advances.&nbsp;

On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council rejected a Russian-drafted resolution urging a ceasefire in Aleppo. This came after Moscow vetoed a French-drafted resolution demanding an end to the bombing in the Syrian city.&nbsp;

The measure was defeated by a vote of nine against, including Britain, France and the United States, four in favor and two abstentions in the 15-member council. It was the fifth time that Russia used its veto to block UN action on the war in Syria.

In its draft resolution, France had called for an end to all military flights over Aleppo and to air strikes on the rebel-held east, a crucial provision that was missing from the Russian proposal.&nbsp;

&quot;What is at stake today is first and foremost the fate of Aleppo and its people,&quot; France&#39;s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the council, urging it to take &quot;immediate action in order to save&quot; the city.

The failure of the two resolutions has deepened divisions at the UN Security Council between Moscow and the Western powers.

Britain&#39;s ambassador to the United Nations, Matthew Rycroft, described Saturday&#39;s failure in New York as &quot;a bad day for Russia, but an even worse day for the people of Aleppo&quot;.

But despite the failed truce efforts over the weekend, Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin insisted that diplomatic efforts on Syria were not dead.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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Russia vetoed a French-drafted resolution demanding an end to Aleppo bombing, but its own truce measure was also rejected

Syrian government forces advanced their assault on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo after a divided UN Security Council failed to agree on a truce plan. The British-based monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes on the ground between regime forces and rebels went well into the night on Saturday and continued thereafter. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the monitor said the forces took control of the Jandul crossroads in the northeast of Aleppo in their latest advances. On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council rejected a Russian-drafted resolution urging a ceasefire in Aleppo. This came after Moscow vetoed a French-drafted resolution demanding an end to the bombing in the Syrian city. The measure was defeated by a vote of nine against, including Britain, France and the United States, four in favor and two abstentions in the 15-member council. It was the fifth time that Russia used its veto to block UN action on the war in Syria. In its draft resolution, France had called for an end to all military flights over Aleppo and to air strikes on the rebel-held east, a crucial provision that was missing from the Russian proposal. "What is at stake today is first and foremost the fate of Aleppo and its people," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the council, urging it to take "immediate action in order to save" the city. The failure of the two resolutions has deepened divisions at the UN Security Council between Moscow and the Western powers. Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Matthew Rycroft, described Saturday's failure in New York as "a bad day for Russia, but an even worse day for the people of Aleppo". But despite the failed truce efforts over the weekend, Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin insisted that diplomatic efforts on Syria were not dead. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Aleppo assault continues as divided UN council rejects truce efforts

Britain, France and the United States have requested for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting on the escalating campaign in Syria&#39;s second city of Aleppo, diplomats have said. 
 
The meeting was likely to be held at 10 am (local time) today, the diplomats said on Saturday. 
 
Intense air strikes toppled buildings and killed at least 45 civilians in Aleppo yesterday, two days after the Syrian army announced an offensive to retake the rebel-held east of the city. 
 
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier said he was appalled by the &quot;chilling&quot; upsurge in fighting in Aleppo and warned that the use of advanced weaponry in the battleground city could amount to war crimes. 
 
Ban cited reports of air strikes involving the use of incendiary weapons, bunker buster bombs and other powerful munitions in the offencive launched by the Syrian army two days ago to recapture the city. 
 
He warned that &quot;the apparent systematic use of these types of indiscriminate weapons in densely populated areas may amount to war crimes,&quot; a statement from his spokesman said. 
 
A week-long ceasefire agreed between the United States and Russia ended on Monday and efforts to revive the truce failed. 
 
(AFP)

The move comes in the wake of the air strikes that toppled buildings and killed 45 in the Syrian city of Aleppo on Saturday

Britain, France and the United States have requested for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting on the escalating campaign in Syria's second city of Aleppo, diplomats have said. The meeting was likely to be held at 10 am (local time) today, the diplomats said on Saturday. Intense air strikes toppled buildings and killed at least 45 civilians in Aleppo yesterday, two days after the Syrian army announced an offensive to retake the rebel-held east of the city. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier said he was appalled by the "chilling" upsurge in fighting in Aleppo and warned that the use of advanced weaponry in the battleground city could amount to war crimes. Ban cited reports of air strikes involving the use of incendiary weapons, bunker buster bombs and other powerful munitions in the offencive launched by the Syrian army two days ago to recapture the city. He warned that "the apparent systematic use of these types of indiscriminate weapons in densely populated areas may amount to war crimes," a statement from his spokesman said. A week-long ceasefire agreed between the United States and Russia ended on Monday and efforts to revive the truce failed. (AFP)

Syria conflict: Britain, France, US seek urgent Security Council meet

Intensive Syrian air strikes today&nbsp;killed at least 30 civilians in a Damascan suburb town northeast of the city a day after the reported execution of a Syrian air force pilot, a monitor and rebels said.

They said the raids targeted a medical centre, a school and a residential area in Jayrud town, a heavily populated area that struck a local truce with the army that had spared it the heavy bombing on other rebel held areas. It had made it a sanctuary for thousands of civilians fleeing heavy battles nearby.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said scores were also injured in the aerial strikes as well as shelling from army posts in the area.

A rebel spokesman said the strikes seemed to be in revenge for the killing of a Syrian air force pilot who parachuted down near the town after his plane crashed on Friday.

&quot;The strikes against civilians are in retaliation against the execution of the pilot by Nusra Front,&quot; said Said Seif al Qalamoni, from the Free Syrian Army&#39;s (FSA) Shahid Ahmad Abdo brigade, that operates in Jayrud, alongside the al Qaeda&#39;s Nusra Front and other groups.

Rebels in a joint operations room targetted a main army base in the region with Russian-made surface to surface missiles after the aerial strikes, al Qalamoni said.

Syrian state media said the crash was due to a technical fault and the pilot had ejected, while the rebel group Jaish al-Islam said it had shot down the plane, but did not say how.

Jaish al Islam said the pilot was arrested and was subsequently killed by a fighter from the Nusra Front while being held at a joint command centre.

The army had warned of a strong response after the execution of the pilot was reported shortly after he was shown on a rebel video circulated on social media giving details of his mission.

Separately, Russian and Syrian planes intensified their bombing on Saturday of a strategic rebel-held area of Aleppo that is near the only route into opposition-held parts of the northern city. If the Malah area were to fall to the army and its allies they would succeed in laying siege to areas where over 400,000 people live under rebel control. 
 
(Reuters)

A rebel spokesman said the strikes were in retaliation for yesterday's execution of the Syrian air force pilot by Nusra Front

Intensive Syrian air strikes today killed at least 30 civilians in a Damascan suburb town northeast of the city a day after the reported execution of a Syrian air force pilot, a monitor and rebels said. They said the raids targeted a medical centre, a school and a residential area in Jayrud town, a heavily populated area that struck a local truce with the army that had spared it the heavy bombing on other rebel held areas. It had made it a sanctuary for thousands of civilians fleeing heavy battles nearby. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said scores were also injured in the aerial strikes as well as shelling from army posts in the area. A rebel spokesman said the strikes seemed to be in revenge for the killing of a Syrian air force pilot who parachuted down near the town after his plane crashed on Friday. "The strikes against civilians are in retaliation against the execution of the pilot by Nusra Front," said Said Seif al Qalamoni, from the Free Syrian Army's (FSA) Shahid Ahmad Abdo brigade, that operates in Jayrud, alongside the al Qaeda's Nusra Front and other groups. Rebels in a joint operations room targetted a main army base in the region with Russian-made surface to surface missiles after the aerial strikes, al Qalamoni said. Syrian state media said the crash was due to a technical fault and the pilot had ejected, while the rebel group Jaish al-Islam said it had shot down the plane, but did not say how. Jaish al Islam said the pilot was arrested and was subsequently killed by a fighter from the Nusra Front while being held at a joint command centre. The army had warned of a strong response after the execution of the pilot was reported shortly after he was shown on a rebel video circulated on social media giving details of his mission. Separately, Russian and Syrian planes intensified their bombing on Saturday of a strategic rebel-held area of Aleppo that is near the only route into opposition-held parts of the northern city. If the Malah area were to fall to the army and its allies they would succeed in laying siege to areas where over 400,000 people live under rebel control. (Reuters)

At least 30 killed in Syrian air strikes in Damascas suburb