Criticising Clinton's foreign policy on Syria, Trump warned that her plan could 'drag the US into a world war against Russia'

In yet another attack on his rival Hillary Clinton, US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said her plan for Syria would "lead to World War Three". Trump lambasted her foreign policies, saying his Democratic rival could "drag the United States into a world war against military forces from nuclear-armed Russia" with her aggressive posturing towards resolving the Syrian conflict. Clinton had earlier called for the establishment of a no-fly zone and "safe zones" on the ground to protect non-combatants, which analysts fear could risk putting the US into direct conflict with Russian fighter jets. "What we should do is focus on ISIS. We should not be focusing on Syria. You’re going to end up in World War Three over Syria if we listen to Hillary Clinton," Trump said. "You’re not fighting Syria any more, you’re fighting Syria, Russia and Iran, all right? Russia is a nuclear country, but a country where the nukes work as opposed to other countries that talk," he added. Trump questioned how Clinton would negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin after demonising him. If she wins the presidency, "how she is going to go back and negotiate with this man who she has made to be so evil," he asked. In an interview that focused largely on international policies, Trump said Washington should give higher importance to defeating the Islamic State than persuading Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, deviating from a long-held goal of the United States. "Assad is secondary, to me, to ISIS," he said. Next, Trump aimed his criticism at the US President. He blamed Barack Obama for the deterioration of ties with the Philippines, saying the president "wants to focus on his golf game" rather than engage with world leaders. With two weeks left until the Election Day, Trump is trailing in the polls. He bemoaned a lack of Republican unity behind his candidacy and said he would easily win the election if the party would support him. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Trump: Clinton's policies could spark World War Three

Heavy artillery fire and clashes erupted once again in the Syrian city of Aleppo as a unilateral ceasefire called by Russia came to an end late on Saturday.&nbsp;

The eastern districts reported sounds of fighting and artillery fire as the rebels clashed with the Syrian government forces. The first air strike since the end of the truce hit the opposition-controlled district of Sheikh Saeed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.&nbsp;

Neither residents nor rebels had heeded calls from the Syrian army and Moscow to leave during the ceasefire. Moscow announced a temporary halt to the Syrian army&#39;s campaign to recapture the divided city on Thursday and had extended the &quot;humanitarian pause&quot; into a third day until 1600 GMT Saturday.&nbsp;

The army opened eight corridors for evacuations, but few people managed to cross through a single passage. Despite a request by the United Nations for more time to evacuate wounded civilians, Moscow did not announce any further renewal of the truce.&nbsp;

The United Nations said no medical and aid deliveries took place due to lack of requisite security guarantees. &quot;You have various parties to the conflict and those with influence and they all have to be on the same page on this and they are not,&quot; said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office.

The war-stricken city has received no aid since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of the month, the UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday.&nbsp;

Russia has accused the rebels of preventing civilians from leaving and using them as &quot;human shields&quot;. The Observatory said earlier both rebels and regime forces appeared to be reinforcing their positions, raising fears of a massive military operation if the ceasefire fails.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Fighting resumed in Aleppo after the Russian called truce came to an end, but medical evacuations and aid deliveries are yet to take place

Heavy artillery fire and clashes erupted once again in the Syrian city of Aleppo as a unilateral ceasefire called by Russia came to an end late on Saturday. The eastern districts reported sounds of fighting and artillery fire as the rebels clashed with the Syrian government forces. The first air strike since the end of the truce hit the opposition-controlled district of Sheikh Saeed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Neither residents nor rebels had heeded calls from the Syrian army and Moscow to leave during the ceasefire. Moscow announced a temporary halt to the Syrian army's campaign to recapture the divided city on Thursday and had extended the "humanitarian pause" into a third day until 1600 GMT Saturday. The army opened eight corridors for evacuations, but few people managed to cross through a single passage. Despite a request by the United Nations for more time to evacuate wounded civilians, Moscow did not announce any further renewal of the truce. The United Nations said no medical and aid deliveries took place due to lack of requisite security guarantees. "You have various parties to the conflict and those with influence and they all have to be on the same page on this and they are not," said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office. The war-stricken city has received no aid since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of the month, the UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday. Russia has accused the rebels of preventing civilians from leaving and using them as "human shields". The Observatory said earlier both rebels and regime forces appeared to be reinforcing their positions, raising fears of a massive military operation if the ceasefire fails. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Clashes erupt in Syrian city of Aleppo after truce expires

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cancelled his planned visit to France next week after escalating tensions between Moscow and the Western nations over Syria. &quot;The president has decided to cancel this visit,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, referring to a long-planned trip to Paris set for October 19.

Moscow&#39;s decision to veto a French-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria over the weekend angered French officials, leading them to reconsider whether to host Putin.

The French presidency had told the Russians President Hollande would only meet Putin for talks on Syria during the planned visit.&nbsp;

&quot;There were contacts between the Kremlin and the Elysee this morning to offer to Putin a working visit on Syria, but excluding all other events that President Hollande could have taken part in,&quot; the source said.

But the Kremlin declined the offer, saying&nbsp;Putin will meet Hollande when the French president is ready. &quot;From the very start of his exchanges with his French colleague, President Putin noted that he is ready to visit Paris when it is comfortable for President Hollande. So we&#39;ll wait for when that comfortable time comes.&quot;

The Russian leader was scheduled to inaugurate a new Russian Orthodox cathedral and visit a Russian art exhibition in the French capital.

France has said it is vital to keep the dialogue with Moscow open and not completely cut ties. But with Russia blocking UN action to end the bombing in Syria, using its veto power for the fifth time, relations have further deteriorated.&nbsp;

French President Francois Hollande said he was prepared to meet Vladimir Putin &quot;at any time...to further peace&quot; after his Russian counterpart cancelled a visit to Paris in a row over Syria. &quot;Dialogue is necessary with Russia but it must be firm and frank,&quot; Hollande said in the northeastern French city of Strasbourg.

French officials have been grappling for ways to put new pressure on Russia. Hollande even suggested Russia could face war crimes charges over its bombardment of the Syrian&nbsp;city&nbsp;Aleppo, a move supported by the United States. France had also lead discussions on whether to impose new European Union sanctions on Moscow over Syria.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Kremlin decided to postpone the visit after President Hollande said talks would be confined to Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cancelled his planned visit to France next week after escalating tensions between Moscow and the Western nations over Syria. "The president has decided to cancel this visit," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, referring to a long-planned trip to Paris set for October 19. Moscow's decision to veto a French-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria over the weekend angered French officials, leading them to reconsider whether to host Putin. The French presidency had told the Russians President Hollande would only meet Putin for talks on Syria during the planned visit. "There were contacts between the Kremlin and the Elysee this morning to offer to Putin a working visit on Syria, but excluding all other events that President Hollande could have taken part in," the source said. But the Kremlin declined the offer, saying Putin will meet Hollande when the French president is ready. "From the very start of his exchanges with his French colleague, President Putin noted that he is ready to visit Paris when it is comfortable for President Hollande. So we'll wait for when that comfortable time comes." The Russian leader was scheduled to inaugurate a new Russian Orthodox cathedral and visit a Russian art exhibition in the French capital. France has said it is vital to keep the dialogue with Moscow open and not completely cut ties. But with Russia blocking UN action to end the bombing in Syria, using its veto power for the fifth time, relations have further deteriorated. French President Francois Hollande said he was prepared to meet Vladimir Putin "at any time...to further peace" after his Russian counterpart cancelled a visit to Paris in a row over Syria. "Dialogue is necessary with Russia but it must be firm and frank," Hollande said in the northeastern French city of Strasbourg. French officials have been grappling for ways to put new pressure on Russia. Hollande even suggested Russia could face war crimes charges over its bombardment of the Syrian city Aleppo, a move supported by the United States. France had also lead discussions on whether to impose new European Union sanctions on Moscow over Syria. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Russian President Putin cancels France visit amid tensions over Syria

<div style="text-align: justify;">Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim declared on Sunday that Turkish army and rebels belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) finally secured 95 km of Turkish-Syrian border which were under the control of the Islamic State (IS).&nbsp; 
 
Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, this border segment has served as a supply corridor for terrorists, allowing goods, weapons and foreign fighters to enter Syria.&nbsp; 
 
Turkish soldiers and FSA rebels are fighting to secure the inner part of the area. Their main objective is to move south and reach the city of Al-Bab, an IS stronghold.&nbsp; 
 
The Free Syrian Army was created by a group of army deserters in 2011 in opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. During the conflict, the group fragmented and it is reported that many of its fighters joined Islamic State&#39;s ranks.&nbsp; 
 
The Turkish and FSA offensive is part of Operation Euphrates Shield, started on August 24 from the border city of Jarablus, on the western banks of the Euphrates. &nbsp; 
 
The river is the longest of western Asia. It starts from Turkey, flows through Syria and Iraq before flowing into the Persian Gulf. Since ancient times, it represents a vital waterway to move men and goods throughout the whole of West Asia. &nbsp; 
 
The majority of its Syrian flow is currently under IS control but the loss of Jarablus prevents them access from Turkey, depriving them of a fundamental entry point.&nbsp; 
 
It remains unclear why Turkey did not secure this area before.&nbsp; 
 
The border line running from the city of Jarablus to the city of Al-Rai stands between the Syrian region of Rojava, a Kurdish-controlled area, and the Kurdish constituency of Afrin. Both these locations are under the control of the Yek&icirc;ney&ecirc;n Parastina Gel (YPG), the People&#39;s Protection Unit, a &nbsp;Kurdish army which is fighting on the ground since 2012 against the Islamic State.&nbsp; 
 
YPG is an official US ally, its members have been trained by American military personnel. It has the characteristics of a guerrilla force which relies on surprise and speedy action and has a significant component of women fighters within its rank and file. 
 
Its main task is to enter cities and villages after US airstrikes to clear the Islamic State&#39;s pockets of resistance.&nbsp; 
 
The Turkish government considers the YPG a terrorist organisation and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that they will not accept the existence of a Kurdish region right across their border.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We will never allow an artificial state in Northern Syria,&quot; he said on Sunday. &nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/syrian_civil_war-20160905112255.png" />
<div class="media-description">
A map describing the current situation in Syria. (Courtesy: Wikipedia)
</div>

<div class="media-description">
 
Operation Euphrates Shield allows Turkey to take control of an area that will make it impossible for the two Kurdish regions to reunite. Relations between Turkey and the Kurdish population have&nbsp;never been easy. Kurds are an ethnic group spread between Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq and have long asked and fought for an independent state, Kurdistan, located across these nations. The request has never been considered feasible by Turkey&nbsp;whose territory would be the most affected. Turkey&nbsp;is home to more than ten million Kurds. &nbsp;
</div>
This denial resulted in a two-decade long Kurdish insurgency characterised by violence on both sides. The European Court of Human Rights has reported thousands of human rights violations, including executions, torture, forced displacements, village destructions and arbitrary arrests perpetrated by the Turkish government against the Kurdish population.&nbsp; 
 
Ankara believes that the YPG is just its extension and that a Kurdish stronghold, right across the border, could give a new lifeline to the Kurds living in Turkey. Turkey is scared that it will bolster their separatist spirit. &nbsp; 
 
Attacking the YPG means attacking a formal US ally but Turkey belongs to NATO. This puts Washington in a tricky situation.&nbsp; 
 
During the first phase of Operation Euphrates Shield, the Turkish army declared to have killed 25 &ldquo;Kurdish terrorists,&rdquo; an action that has been judged by the US Department of State &quot;unacceptable and a source of deep concern.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The United States &quot;were not involved in these activities, they were not coordinated with US forces, and we do not support them,&quot; said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook.&nbsp; 
 
When Turkish forces and Free Syrian Army rebels entered the city of Jarablus, they ordered the Kurds to retreat to the eastern bank of the Euphrates river, a request that was immediately supported by the US.&nbsp; 
 
The YPG high command has sent an official Tweet, requesting its fighters not to fight back and reminding them that the true enemy is the Islamic State and not Turkey.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash">#YPG</a>&rsquo;s Command: Repeated <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash">#Turkey</a> Army&rsquo;s assaults on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rojava?src=hash">#Rojava</a>/Northern <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash">#Syria</a> border in Derik, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kobane?src=hash">#Kobane</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Efrin?src=hash">#Efrin</a>, Aug 27 <a href="https://t.co/eLXAIj7J7S">pic.twitter.com/eLXAIj7J7S</a>
&mdash; Rojava Defense Units (@DefenseUnits) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenseUnits/status/769506841772556288">27 August 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
It is, nonetheless, unlikely that the situation will remain stable for long. Even if Kurds are not yet responding, they make no bones about their intention to remain in Rojava after &ndash; and if &ndash; the war is over.&nbsp; 
 
President Erdogan is also clear about his programme. He said in a statement that the offensive would continue until &quot;the threat of Islamic State and YPG/PKK is over.&quot; &nbsp; 
 
US defence secretary Ashton Carter said he had appealed to both sides not to fight. &quot;That&#39;s the basis of our cooperation with both of them, specifically not to engage one another,&quot; he said. &nbsp; 
 
Ankara denied the existence of any official ceasefire and does not seem to be willing to change its mind. During a meeting with US President Obama, the first after the coup, on Sunday at the G20 summit in Hangzhou, President Erdogan said, &ldquo;We have to embrace the same stance against all terrorist organisations around the world.&rdquo; &ldquo;Our hope is never to see a belt of terrorism, a corridor of terrorism emerging in or around our region.&rdquo; &nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist; every kind of terrorism is bad,&rdquo; Erdogan said after the meeting with Obama, the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported. &nbsp; 
 
Operation Euphrates Shield is a stress test for US-Turkey relations which are at its lowest after the failed Turkey coup and the allegations made by President Erdogan of a possible US role in it. Ankara has been demanding the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based cleric who they believe to be the mastermind behind the coup.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
(WION)</div>

The Turkish military's offensive inside Syria is a stress test for US-Turkey relations

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim declared on Sunday that Turkish army and rebels belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) finally secured 95 km of Turkish-Syrian border which were under the control of the Islamic State (IS). Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, this border segment has served as a supply corridor for terrorists, allowing goods, weapons and foreign fighters to enter Syria. Turkish soldiers and FSA rebels are fighting to secure the inner part of the area. Their main objective is to move south and reach the city of Al-Bab, an IS stronghold. The Free Syrian Army was created by a group of army deserters in 2011 in opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. During the conflict, the group fragmented and it is reported that many of its fighters joined Islamic State's ranks. The Turkish and FSA offensive is part of Operation Euphrates Shield, started on August 24 from the border city of Jarablus, on the western banks of the Euphrates. The river is the longest of western Asia. It starts from Turkey, flows through Syria and Iraq before flowing into the Persian Gulf. Since ancient times, it represents a vital waterway to move men and goods throughout the whole of West Asia. The majority of its Syrian flow is currently under IS control but the loss of Jarablus prevents them access from Turkey, depriving them of a fundamental entry point. It remains unclear why Turkey did not secure this area before. The border line running from the city of Jarablus to the city of Al-Rai stands between the Syrian region of Rojava, a Kurdish-controlled area, and the Kurdish constituency of Afrin. Both these locations are under the control of the Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (YPG), the People's Protection Unit, a Kurdish army which is fighting on the ground since 2012 against the Islamic State. YPG is an official US ally, its members have been trained by American military personnel. It has the characteristics of a guerrilla force which relies on surprise and speedy action and has a significant component of women fighters within its rank and file. Its main task is to enter cities and villages after US airstrikes to clear the Islamic State's pockets of resistance. The Turkish government considers the YPG a terrorist organisation and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that they will not accept the existence of a Kurdish region right across their border. "We will never allow an artificial state in Northern Syria," he said on Sunday. A map describing the current situation in Syria. (Courtesy: Wikipedia) Operation Euphrates Shield allows Turkey to take control of an area that will make it impossible for the two Kurdish regions to reunite. Relations between Turkey and the Kurdish population have never been easy. Kurds are an ethnic group spread between Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq and have long asked and fought for an independent state, Kurdistan, located across these nations. The request has never been considered feasible by Turkey whose territory would be the most affected. Turkey is home to more than ten million Kurds. This denial resulted in a two-decade long Kurdish insurgency characterised by violence on both sides. The European Court of Human Rights has reported thousands of human rights violations, including executions, torture, forced displacements, village destructions and arbitrary arrests perpetrated by the Turkish government against the Kurdish population. Ankara believes that the YPG is just its extension and that a Kurdish stronghold, right across the border, could give a new lifeline to the Kurds living in Turkey. Turkey is scared that it will bolster their separatist spirit. Attacking the YPG means attacking a formal US ally but Turkey belongs to NATO. This puts Washington in a tricky situation. During the first phase of Operation Euphrates Shield, the Turkish army declared to have killed 25 “Kurdish terrorists,” an action that has been judged by the US Department of State "unacceptable and a source of deep concern." The United States "were not involved in these activities, they were not coordinated with US forces, and we do not support them," said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. When Turkish forces and Free Syrian Army rebels entered the city of Jarablus, they ordered the Kurds to retreat to the eastern bank of the Euphrates river, a request that was immediately supported by the US. The YPG high command has sent an official Tweet, requesting its fighters not to fight back and reminding them that the true enemy is the Islamic State and not Turkey. #YPG’s Command: Repeated #Turkey Army’s assaults on #Rojava/Northern #Syria border in Derik, #Kobane, #Efrin, Aug 27 pic.twitter.com/eLXAIj7J7S — Rojava Defense Units (@DefenseUnits) 27 August 2016 It is, nonetheless, unlikely that the situation will remain stable for long. Even if Kurds are not yet responding, they make no bones about their intention to remain in Rojava after – and if – the war is over. President Erdogan is also clear about his programme. He said in a statement that the offensive would continue until "the threat of Islamic State and YPG/PKK is over." US defence secretary Ashton Carter said he had appealed to both sides not to fight. "That's the basis of our cooperation with both of them, specifically not to engage one another," he said. Ankara denied the existence of any official ceasefire and does not seem to be willing to change its mind. During a meeting with US President Obama, the first after the coup, on Sunday at the G20 summit in Hangzhou, President Erdogan said, “We have to embrace the same stance against all terrorist organisations around the world.” “Our hope is never to see a belt of terrorism, a corridor of terrorism emerging in or around our region.” “There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist; every kind of terrorism is bad,” Erdogan said after the meeting with Obama, the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Operation Euphrates Shield is a stress test for US-Turkey relations which are at its lowest after the failed Turkey coup and the allegations made by President Erdogan of a possible US role in it. Ankara has been demanding the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based cleric who they believe to be the mastermind behind the coup. (WION)

Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield: Ankara may be fighting IS but the Kurds are also in gunsight

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) 
&nbsp;

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

US officials say Russia is using US President Barack Obama&#39;s last days in office, and the intervening months before an administration with a tougher policy on Syria could possibly&nbsp;take&nbsp;charge, to help strengthen Bashar al-Assad&#39;s hold on power in Syria, AFP reported.

Russian President Putin&#39;s strategy, according to US officials, is to use this time -- when Obama will not be able to intervene in Syria&#39;s escalating conflict --&nbsp;to consolidate gains in the war-ravaged country.&nbsp;

It is still not certain however what the new, if any, US policy on Syria will be.&nbsp;

Republican vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence on Tuesday described Putin as a &ldquo;bullying leader&rdquo; whose provocations need to be met with &ldquo;American strength&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The United States of America should be prepared to use force to strike military targets of the Assad regime,&rdquo; Pence added on Russia&#39;s alleged goal to help Syria retake the besieged city of Aleppo.

His potential boss,&nbsp;Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, however&nbsp;seems unsure of his relationship with the Russian leader.

&quot;I don&#39;t love Putin, I don&#39;t hate. We&#39;ll see how it works. We&#39;ll see,&quot; Trump told supporters on Wednesday in Nevada.&nbsp;

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has also called for stronger action on Syria by suggesting the US military enforce a no-fly zone to protect civilian&nbsp;areas.

Russia has supported Assad, sending him troops and warplanes, in the bloody conflict&nbsp;that has killed over 300,000 people over the past&nbsp;five years.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

US officials fear the Kremlin is racing to consolidate its gains in Syria before a new, possibly tougher administration takes charge

US officials say Russia is using US President Barack Obama's last days in office, and the intervening months before an administration with a tougher policy on Syria could possibly take charge, to help strengthen Bashar al-Assad's hold on power in Syria, AFP reported. Russian President Putin's strategy, according to US officials, is to use this time -- when Obama will not be able to intervene in Syria's escalating conflict -- to consolidate gains in the war-ravaged country. It is still not certain however what the new, if any, US policy on Syria will be. Republican vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence on Tuesday described Putin as a “bullying leader” whose provocations need to be met with “American strength”. “The United States of America should be prepared to use force to strike military targets of the Assad regime,” Pence added on Russia's alleged goal to help Syria retake the besieged city of Aleppo. His potential boss, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, however seems unsure of his relationship with the Russian leader. "I don't love Putin, I don't hate. We'll see how it works. We'll see," Trump told supporters on Wednesday in Nevada. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has also called for stronger action on Syria by suggesting the US military enforce a no-fly zone to protect civilian areas. Russia has supported Assad, sending him troops and warplanes, in the bloody conflict that has killed over 300,000 people over the past five years. (WION with inputs from AFP)

With US focused on vote, Russia steps up efforts to secure Syria's Assad in power

Russia-backed Syrian forces&#39; aerial strikes have killed 9,300 people, including 3,800 civilians, in the last one year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based monitoring group had initially pegged the death toll at 10,000 but later revised it to 9,300.

The rest of the dead were fighters affiliated to Islamic State and various rebel factions. More than 2,700 jihadists belonged to IS and about 2,800 fighters were from US-backed rebel groups.

The monitoring group said at least 20,000 civilians were wounded in the Russia-backed onslaught.&nbsp;

The death toll could be higher as people might have died in air strikes by unidentified warplanes, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Medical crisis 
&nbsp;

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have asked the Syrian forces to stop the heavy bombardment on eastern Aleppo, a territory held by the US-supported rebel groups.

&quot;Bombs are raining from Syria-led coalition planes and the whole of east Aleppo has become a giant kill box,&quot; MSF director of operations Xisco Villalonga said.

The crisis has worsened in Aleppo after two hospitals were bombed by the Syrian forces, leaving just six hospitals functional in the city.

The UN has said only 35 doctors remain in the area despite an estimated 250,000 civilians holed up there since early September.

The MNF said the functional hospitals in eastern Aleppo received 278 dead bodies, including 86 bodies of children, between September 21 and 26.&nbsp;

An estimated 822 people were wounded in the six-day period, which saw a wave of air strikes conducted by the Syrian forces.

World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday that 338 people, including 106 children, have been killed in east Aleppo since September 23.

&quot;All intensive care units are full. Patients have to wait for others to die so they can be moved to an available bed in intensive care,&quot; Abu Waseem, manager of an MSF-supported trauma hospital in east Aleppo, warned.

&quot;We only have three operating theatres and yesterday alone we had to do more than 20 major abdominal surgeries,&quot; he said, adding the hospital staff is working up to 20 hours a day.

&quot;Anything short of this is confirmation of what many are dreading, that the world has abandoned the people of Aleppo to a violent, agonising death,&quot; he said.

Moscow ignores US threat 
&nbsp;

Russia has said it will continue its bombing campaign in Syria despite US&#39; threat of walking away from holding peace talks.&nbsp;

The attacks will continue till Aleppo is reclaimed by the Syrian forces, Moscow said.

Syrian forces&#39; offensive in Aleppo escalated after a ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington collapsed earlier this month.&nbsp;

The countries had accused each other of being responsible for the crumbling of the peace deal.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Russia however has said it will continue its bombing campaign in Syria despite US' threat of walking away from holding further peace talks

Russia-backed Syrian forces' aerial strikes have killed 9,300 people, including 3,800 civilians, in the last one year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitoring group had initially pegged the death toll at 10,000 but later revised it to 9,300. The rest of the dead were fighters affiliated to Islamic State and various rebel factions. More than 2,700 jihadists belonged to IS and about 2,800 fighters were from US-backed rebel groups. The monitoring group said at least 20,000 civilians were wounded in the Russia-backed onslaught. The death toll could be higher as people might have died in air strikes by unidentified warplanes, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Medical crisis Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have asked the Syrian forces to stop the heavy bombardment on eastern Aleppo, a territory held by the US-supported rebel groups. "Bombs are raining from Syria-led coalition planes and the whole of east Aleppo has become a giant kill box," MSF director of operations Xisco Villalonga said. The crisis has worsened in Aleppo after two hospitals were bombed by the Syrian forces, leaving just six hospitals functional in the city. The UN has said only 35 doctors remain in the area despite an estimated 250,000 civilians holed up there since early September. The MNF said the functional hospitals in eastern Aleppo received 278 dead bodies, including 86 bodies of children, between September 21 and 26. An estimated 822 people were wounded in the six-day period, which saw a wave of air strikes conducted by the Syrian forces. World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday that 338 people, including 106 children, have been killed in east Aleppo since September 23. "All intensive care units are full. Patients have to wait for others to die so they can be moved to an available bed in intensive care," Abu Waseem, manager of an MSF-supported trauma hospital in east Aleppo, warned. "We only have three operating theatres and yesterday alone we had to do more than 20 major abdominal surgeries," he said, adding the hospital staff is working up to 20 hours a day. "Anything short of this is confirmation of what many are dreading, that the world has abandoned the people of Aleppo to a violent, agonising death," he said. Moscow ignores US threat Russia has said it will continue its bombing campaign in Syria despite US' threat of walking away from holding peace talks. The attacks will continue till Aleppo is reclaimed by the Syrian forces, Moscow said. Syrian forces' offensive in Aleppo escalated after a ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington collapsed earlier this month. The countries had accused each other of being responsible for the crumbling of the peace deal. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Syria: Russian offensive claims 3,800 civilians' lives as country hurtles towards medical doomsday

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

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

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

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

Syria truce may end Monday evening

The US military said on Tuesday that three strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria in the past six days may have caused civilian casualties. 
 
US Central Command said in a statement that strikes near Dayz Az Zawr on September 7, near Raqqa on September 10 and near Ash Shaddadah on September 12 may have resulted in civilian casualties. 
 
(Reuters)

US Central Command said in a statement that strikes near Dayz Az Zawr, Raqqa and Ash Shaddadah may have resulted in civilian casualties

The US military said on Tuesday that three strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria in the past six days may have caused civilian casualties. US Central Command said in a statement that strikes near Dayz Az Zawr on September 7, near Raqqa on September 10 and near Ash Shaddadah on September 12 may have resulted in civilian casualties. (Reuters)

US says strikes in Syria may have resulted in civilian casualties

Iran said on Monday that Russia has stopped using an Iranian air base for strikes in Syria, a week after Moscow announced that its fighter-bombers had flown from a base in Iran to hit targets in Syria. 
 
&quot;Russia has no base in Iran and is not stationed here. They did this (operation) and it is finished for now,&quot; Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. 
 
Long-range Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter-bombers used Nojeh air base, near the city of Hamedan, in north-west Iran to launch the air strikes last week, in a move which underscored Moscow&#39;s increasingly close ties with Tehran. 
 
But the deployment, the first time a foreign power has used an Iranian base since World War Two, triggered criticism from some Iranian parliamentarians who said it breached the Islamic Republic&#39;s constitution. 
 
Iranian defence minister Hossein Dehghan dismissed that criticism on Sunday, but also chided Moscow for publicising the move, describing it as showing off and a &quot;betrayal of trust&quot;. 
 
&quot;We have not given any military base to the Russians and they are not here to stay,&quot; Dehghan was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency. 
 
He said there has been &quot;no written agreement&quot; between the two countries and the &quot;operational cooperation&quot; was temporary and limited to refuelling. 
 
(Reuters)

This is the first time a foreign power has used an Iranian base since World War II

Iran said on Monday that Russia has stopped using an Iranian air base for strikes in Syria, a week after Moscow announced that its fighter-bombers had flown from a base in Iran to hit targets in Syria. "Russia has no base in Iran and is not stationed here. They did this (operation) and it is finished for now," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. Long-range Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter-bombers used Nojeh air base, near the city of Hamedan, in north-west Iran to launch the air strikes last week, in a move which underscored Moscow's increasingly close ties with Tehran. But the deployment, the first time a foreign power has used an Iranian base since World War Two, triggered criticism from some Iranian parliamentarians who said it breached the Islamic Republic's constitution. Iranian defence minister Hossein Dehghan dismissed that criticism on Sunday, but also chided Moscow for publicising the move, describing it as showing off and a "betrayal of trust". "We have not given any military base to the Russians and they are not here to stay," Dehghan was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency. He said there has been "no written agreement" between the two countries and the "operational cooperation" was temporary and limited to refuelling. (Reuters)

Iran: Russian use of air base for Syria strikes over 'for now'

A shocked Syrian boy pictured sitting in an ambulance covered in blood and dust after an airstrike became a symbol of civilian suffering in Aleppo Thursday, drawing worldwide attention. 
 
As international concern mounted, President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s key ally Russia said it was ready to halt fire in the battleground northern city for 48-hour &quot;humanitarian pauses&quot; from next week. 
 
The announcement followed pleas from the United Nations and the European Union for a halt in the fighting in divided Aleppo to allow aid deliveries. 
 
The haunting image of four-year-old Omran sitting dazed and bloodied in an ambulance reverberated around the globe, much like the photo of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi whose body washed ashore on a Turkish beach last year. 
 
Omran was pulled from the rubble after an air raid on Wednesday in the rebel-held district of Qaterji in the southeast of Aleppo, which has been devastated by the five-year war. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve taken a lot of pictures of children killed or wounded in the strikes that rain down daily,&quot; said photographer Mahmoud Rslan who captured the image. 
 
&quot;Usually, they are either unconscious or crying. But Omran was there, speechless, staring blankly&nbsp;as if he did not quite understand what had happened to him,&quot; he told AFP by telephone. 
 
Opposition-held neighbourhoods in the city are frequently targeted by air strikes including barrel bombs dropped by regime helicopters. 
 
Syrian and Russian aircraft have been carrying out intense air strikes this week on opposition strongholds across northern Syria to prevent rebels sending reinforcements to Aleppo, a monitoring group said. 
 
Air strikes on Idlib city, 60 kilometres (35 miles) southwest of Aleppo, killed 25 people including 15 civilians on Wednesday, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
Regime aircraft continued to pound rebel positions across Idlib province on Thursday as well as parts of Aleppo province, it said. 
 
&quot;Regime and Russian aircraft are carrying out dozens of raids every day on Idlib province and the west of Aleppo province to prevent reinforcements reaching rebel positions,&quot; said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. 
 
Aleppo has been the scene of intense fighting since July 31, when the &quot;Army of Conquest&quot; alliance of rebels and jihadists launched a major offensive to break a regime siege of opposition-controlled districts. 
 
But neither side has achieved a decisive victory despite hundreds dead on both sides. 
 
Despite its air power, the regime has been unable to gain headway in street-to-street battles, said Abdel Rahman. 
 
&quot;The rebels have put all their forces into this battle and regime forces have been exhausted,&quot; he said. 
 
On Thursday, the regime continued to pound the rebel-held east of Aleppo where 146 civilians including 22 children have died in air strikes since 31 July. 
 
In Geneva, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura cut short the weekly meeting of the humanitarian taskforce headed by the United States and Russia, in protest at the failure of warring parties to allow aid to reach civilians. 
 
&quot;Not one single convoy in one month has reached any of the humanitarian besieged areas,&quot; he told reporters. 
 
Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov later announced that Moscow was &quot;ready to implement the first 48-hour &#39;humanitarian pause&#39; to deliver humanitarian aid to Aleppo residents&quot; next week. 
 
The Syrian conflict has killed more than 290,000 people and displaced millions since it began in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations. 
 
More than 17,700 people are estimated to have died in custody in Syria since then, an average of more than 300 each month, Amnesty International said Thursday. 
 
Syrian authorities were committing torture on a &quot;massive scale&quot; in government prisons including beatings, electric shocks, rape and psychological abuse that amount to crimes against humanity, the watchdog said. 
 
Syria&#39;s war now involves a range of combatants including Western- and Gulf-backed rebels, jihadists, Kurds and pro-regime forces supported by Russia and Iran. 
 
On Thursday regime aircraft bombed Kurdish positions for the first time since the conflict erupted, hitting several checkpoints and bases in the northeastern city of Hasakeh, the Observatory said. 
 
The raids followed heavy clashes a day earlier between Kurdish fighters and pro-government militia that left 11 people dead. 
 
The two sides share a common enemy in the Islamic State jihadist group but there have been tensions between them in Hasakeh. 
 
Washington regards the Kurds as the most effective fighting force on the ground in Syria and has provided weapons and special forces military advisers. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The haunting image of four-year-old Omran sitting dazed and bloodied in an ambulance has reverberated around the globe

A shocked Syrian boy pictured sitting in an ambulance covered in blood and dust after an airstrike became a symbol of civilian suffering in Aleppo Thursday, drawing worldwide attention. As international concern mounted, President Bashar al-Assad's key ally Russia said it was ready to halt fire in the battleground northern city for 48-hour "humanitarian pauses" from next week. The announcement followed pleas from the United Nations and the European Union for a halt in the fighting in divided Aleppo to allow aid deliveries. The haunting image of four-year-old Omran sitting dazed and bloodied in an ambulance reverberated around the globe, much like the photo of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi whose body washed ashore on a Turkish beach last year. Omran was pulled from the rubble after an air raid on Wednesday in the rebel-held district of Qaterji in the southeast of Aleppo, which has been devastated by the five-year war. "I've taken a lot of pictures of children killed or wounded in the strikes that rain down daily," said photographer Mahmoud Rslan who captured the image. "Usually, they are either unconscious or crying. But Omran was there, speechless, staring blankly as if he did not quite understand what had happened to him," he told AFP by telephone. Opposition-held neighbourhoods in the city are frequently targeted by air strikes including barrel bombs dropped by regime helicopters. Syrian and Russian aircraft have been carrying out intense air strikes this week on opposition strongholds across northern Syria to prevent rebels sending reinforcements to Aleppo, a monitoring group said. Air strikes on Idlib city, 60 kilometres (35 miles) southwest of Aleppo, killed 25 people including 15 civilians on Wednesday, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Regime aircraft continued to pound rebel positions across Idlib province on Thursday as well as parts of Aleppo province, it said. "Regime and Russian aircraft are carrying out dozens of raids every day on Idlib province and the west of Aleppo province to prevent reinforcements reaching rebel positions," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. Aleppo has been the scene of intense fighting since July 31, when the "Army of Conquest" alliance of rebels and jihadists launched a major offensive to break a regime siege of opposition-controlled districts. But neither side has achieved a decisive victory despite hundreds dead on both sides. Despite its air power, the regime has been unable to gain headway in street-to-street battles, said Abdel Rahman. "The rebels have put all their forces into this battle and regime forces have been exhausted," he said. On Thursday, the regime continued to pound the rebel-held east of Aleppo where 146 civilians including 22 children have died in air strikes since 31 July. In Geneva, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura cut short the weekly meeting of the humanitarian taskforce headed by the United States and Russia, in protest at the failure of warring parties to allow aid to reach civilians. "Not one single convoy in one month has reached any of the humanitarian besieged areas," he told reporters. Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov later announced that Moscow was "ready to implement the first 48-hour 'humanitarian pause' to deliver humanitarian aid to Aleppo residents" next week. The Syrian conflict has killed more than 290,000 people and displaced millions since it began in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations. More than 17,700 people are estimated to have died in custody in Syria since then, an average of more than 300 each month, Amnesty International said Thursday. Syrian authorities were committing torture on a "massive scale" in government prisons including beatings, electric shocks, rape and psychological abuse that amount to crimes against humanity, the watchdog said. Syria's war now involves a range of combatants including Western- and Gulf-backed rebels, jihadists, Kurds and pro-regime forces supported by Russia and Iran. On Thursday regime aircraft bombed Kurdish positions for the first time since the conflict erupted, hitting several checkpoints and bases in the northeastern city of Hasakeh, the Observatory said. The raids followed heavy clashes a day earlier between Kurdish fighters and pro-government militia that left 11 people dead. The two sides share a common enemy in the Islamic State jihadist group but there have been tensions between them in Hasakeh. Washington regards the Kurds as the most effective fighting force on the ground in Syria and has provided weapons and special forces military advisers. (AFP)

Photo of dazed Syrian boy symbolises Aleppo's plight

Syrian and Russian warplanes have repeatedly used incendiary weapons in &quot;disgraceful&quot; attacks on civilians in northern Syria, Human Rights Watch charged Tuesday. 
 
The rights group said it had documented the use of incendiary weapons at least 18 times since June that had resulted in more than a dozen injuries.&nbsp;There was &quot;compelling evidence&quot; that Russia was supporting Syrian government planes in those attacks, the New York-based watchdog said. 
 
&quot;The Syrian government and Russia should immediately stop attacking civilian areas with incendiary weapons,&quot; said HRW arms director Steve Goose.&nbsp;&quot;The disgraceful incendiary weapon attacks in Syria show an abject failure to adhere to international law restricting incendiary weapons,&quot; he said. 
 
When dropped from aircraft, incendiary weapons leave distinctive trails of explosives in the sky and trigger small, intense fires upon contact.&nbsp;They were used widely during the Vietnam war and are banned by the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. 
 
HRW documented attacks with such weapons since early June, including two cases on August 7 that hit opposition-controlled parts of the cities of Aleppo and Idlib. 
 
&quot;I could clearly see the flames bursting,&quot; said Idlib resident Mohammad Taj Al-Din Othman, who supplied HRW with photos of the attack.&nbsp;&quot;Within 10 minutes, there were more strikes. The fire was unbelievable, it turned night into day.&quot; 
 
A civil defence volunteer told HRW: &quot;The fire took over everything, houses, cars, oil tanks, and even grass.&quot;&nbsp;The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said it too had documented the use of thermite, a type of incendiary substance, by Russian planes in Idlib, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor provinces, and Raqqa. 
 
And earlier this month, activists in Daraya, a besieged rebel-held town near Damascus, accused the regime of using banned chemical agent napalm against residents there.&nbsp;All sides of Syria&#39;s complex war have exchanged accusations of attacks against civilians and use of unconventional weapons, including chlorine and mustard gas. 
 
HRW said the use of incendiary weapons in Syria had &quot;increased significantly&quot; since Russia began its air war in support of Damascus on September 30, 2015.&nbsp;In a letter to HRW in November, Russia acknowledged that &quot;improper use&quot; of incendiary weapons had resulted in &quot;significant humanitarian damage&quot; in Syria. 
 
Since 2012, HRW has documented the use of four different incendiary weapons in Syria, all manufactured by the former Soviet Union.&nbsp;More than 290,000 people have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011. 
 
(AFP)

These were used widely during the Vietnam war, but are banned by the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons

Syrian and Russian warplanes have repeatedly used incendiary weapons in "disgraceful" attacks on civilians in northern Syria, Human Rights Watch charged Tuesday. The rights group said it had documented the use of incendiary weapons at least 18 times since June that had resulted in more than a dozen injuries. There was "compelling evidence" that Russia was supporting Syrian government planes in those attacks, the New York-based watchdog said. "The Syrian government and Russia should immediately stop attacking civilian areas with incendiary weapons," said HRW arms director Steve Goose. "The disgraceful incendiary weapon attacks in Syria show an abject failure to adhere to international law restricting incendiary weapons," he said. When dropped from aircraft, incendiary weapons leave distinctive trails of explosives in the sky and trigger small, intense fires upon contact. They were used widely during the Vietnam war and are banned by the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. HRW documented attacks with such weapons since early June, including two cases on August 7 that hit opposition-controlled parts of the cities of Aleppo and Idlib. "I could clearly see the flames bursting," said Idlib resident Mohammad Taj Al-Din Othman, who supplied HRW with photos of the attack. "Within 10 minutes, there were more strikes. The fire was unbelievable, it turned night into day." A civil defence volunteer told HRW: "The fire took over everything, houses, cars, oil tanks, and even grass." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said it too had documented the use of thermite, a type of incendiary substance, by Russian planes in Idlib, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor provinces, and Raqqa. And earlier this month, activists in Daraya, a besieged rebel-held town near Damascus, accused the regime of using banned chemical agent napalm against residents there. All sides of Syria's complex war have exchanged accusations of attacks against civilians and use of unconventional weapons, including chlorine and mustard gas. HRW said the use of incendiary weapons in Syria had "increased significantly" since Russia began its air war in support of Damascus on September 30, 2015. In a letter to HRW in November, Russia acknowledged that "improper use" of incendiary weapons had resulted in "significant humanitarian damage" in Syria. Since 2012, HRW has documented the use of four different incendiary weapons in Syria, all manufactured by the former Soviet Union. More than 290,000 people have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. (AFP)

Syrian, Russian warplanes repeatedly using incendiary weapons: Human Rights Watch

US President Barack Obama said Thursday that he was &quot;not confident&quot; that Russia and President Vladimir Putin could be trusted as partners in trying to end Syria&#39;s bloody civil war. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not confident that we can trust the Russians and (President) Vladimir Putin, which is why we have to test whether or not we can get an actual cessation of hostilities that includes an end to the kinds of aerial bombing and civilian death and destruction that we have seen carried out by the Assad regime,&quot; Obama said. 
 
&quot;We go into this without any blinders on.&quot; 
 
Obama expressed concern about Russia&#39;s military action in support of the Syrian regime, and urged Moscow to cooperate with Washington to find a way out of the crisis. 
 
&quot;The US remains prepared to work with Russia to try to reduce the violence and strengthen our efforts against Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Syria,&quot; Obama told reporters at the Pentagon. 
 
&quot;But Russia has failed to take the necessary steps. Given the deteriorating situation, it is time for Russia to show it is serious about pursuing these objectives,&quot; Obama said, following a meeting with his national security council. 
 
Russia and the United States back opposing sides in Syria&#39;s five-year war, which has left 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. 
 
Multiple rounds of international negotiations to end the war, which erupted in 2011 after the Assad regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against a pro-democracy revolt, have so far failed. 
 
Russia, an ally of Damascus, and the United States, which supports moderate rebels fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are nominally co-chairs of the international effort to bring the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups to the negotiating table as a step toward ending the war. 
 
Following heavy Russian air strikes on the outskirts of divided Aleppo city, US secretary of state John Kerry on Monday urged Russia to &quot;restrain&quot; itself and its ally in Damascus from &quot;offensive operations.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Washington has urged Moscow to 'restrain' itself and its ally in Damascus from 'offensive operations'

US President Barack Obama said Thursday that he was "not confident" that Russia and President Vladimir Putin could be trusted as partners in trying to end Syria's bloody civil war. "I'm not confident that we can trust the Russians and (President) Vladimir Putin, which is why we have to test whether or not we can get an actual cessation of hostilities that includes an end to the kinds of aerial bombing and civilian death and destruction that we have seen carried out by the Assad regime," Obama said. "We go into this without any blinders on." Obama expressed concern about Russia's military action in support of the Syrian regime, and urged Moscow to cooperate with Washington to find a way out of the crisis. "The US remains prepared to work with Russia to try to reduce the violence and strengthen our efforts against Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Syria," Obama told reporters at the Pentagon. "But Russia has failed to take the necessary steps. Given the deteriorating situation, it is time for Russia to show it is serious about pursuing these objectives," Obama said, following a meeting with his national security council. Russia and the United States back opposing sides in Syria's five-year war, which has left 280,000 people dead and forced half the population to flee their homes. Multiple rounds of international negotiations to end the war, which erupted in 2011 after the Assad regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against a pro-democracy revolt, have so far failed. Russia, an ally of Damascus, and the United States, which supports moderate rebels fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are nominally co-chairs of the international effort to bring the Syrian regime and armed opposition groups to the negotiating table as a step toward ending the war. Following heavy Russian air strikes on the outskirts of divided Aleppo city, US secretary of state John Kerry on Monday urged Russia to "restrain" itself and its ally in Damascus from "offensive operations." (AFP)

US President Obama says not confident Putin can be trusted to cooperate in Syria

&nbsp;The United States called on Russia and the Syrian government on Monday to refrain from offensive operations in Syria, as fighting continued on the day US&nbsp;Secretary of State John Kerry hoped a political transition could begin.

Asked if he was dismayed August&nbsp;1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria&#39;s five-year civil war, Kerry said the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence.

However, a &quot;cessation of hostilities&quot; that began in February has now all but unravelled. In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria&#39;s rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board.

&quot;It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations, just as it is our responsibility to get the opposition to refrain from engaging in those operations,&quot; Kerry told reporters.

&quot;These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to&quot; the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. &quot;The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody.&quot;

US&nbsp;officials have suggested that a Russian and Syrian &quot;humanitarian operation&quot; for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad&#39;s rule. 
 
(Reuters)

In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board

The United States called on Russia and the Syrian government on Monday to refrain from offensive operations in Syria, as fighting continued on the day US Secretary of State John Kerry hoped a political transition could begin. Asked if he was dismayed August 1 had come without a political transition to help end Syria's five-year civil war, Kerry said the target date was set earlier this year when there were hopes political talks could take hold amid a reduction in violence. However, a "cessation of hostilities" that began in February has now all but unravelled. In the latest incident, a Russian military helicopter was shot down in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, killing all five people on board. "It is critical, obviously, that Russia restrain both itself and the Assad regime from conducting offensive operations, just as it is our responsibility to get the opposition to refrain from engaging in those operations," Kerry told reporters. "These are important days to determine whether or not Russia and the Assad regime are going to live up to" the effort to end the violence and to resume peace talks, Kerry said. "The evidence thus far is very, very troubling to everybody." US officials have suggested that a Russian and Syrian "humanitarian operation" for the besieged city of Aleppo is a ruse to evacuate civilians so that their forces can go after militants in the city who oppose Assad's rule. (Reuters)

Russia must restrain itself, Assad from offensive Syria strikes: John Kerry

Dozens of families left the besieged opposition-held east of Syria&#39;s Aleppo city today through a &quot;humanitarian corridor&quot; to the government-held west, Syria&#39;s official SANA news agency reported. 
 
The evacuations came 48 hours after regime ally Russia announced that three humanitarian passages would be opened to allow civilians and surrendering fighters to cross from the besieged rebel-held districts of the city to government territory. 
 
&quot;This morning dozens of families left via the corridors identified to allow the exit of citizens besieged by terrorist groups in the eastern neighbourhoods,&quot; SANA reported. 
 
&quot;They were welcomed by members of the army and taken by bus to temporary shelters,&quot; it added. 
 
It also said &quot;a number&quot; of women over the age of 40 had left the rebel-held east and had been taken to shelters. 
 
The agency carried photos showing dozens of people, mostly women and children, walking past soldiers and boarding buses. 
 
State television also broadcast footage it said showed residents crossing from the east to the west.&nbsp; 
 
SANA added that &quot;armed men from eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo&quot; had turned themselves in to army soldiers in Salaheddin district, without giving figures or showing pictures of the incident. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, confirmed that &quot;a number&quot; of civilians had left the east of the city through a passage in the Salaheddin neighbourhood. 
 
It had no exact figures for the number of people who had evacuated. 
 
Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012, and the frontline runs through several neighbourhoods, including Salaheddin. 
 
The rebel-held side of the city has been effectively under government siege since July 7, when regime forces advanced to within firing range of the only remaining supply route to opposition neighbourhoods. 
 
The encirclement has led to food shortages and spiralling prices in the east, with fears of a humanitarian crisis for the estimated 250,000 still living there. 
 
(AFP)

The evacuations came 48 hours after regime ally Russia announced the opening of three passages for civilians to flee the city

Dozens of families left the besieged opposition-held east of Syria's Aleppo city today through a "humanitarian corridor" to the government-held west, Syria's official SANA news agency reported. The evacuations came 48 hours after regime ally Russia announced that three humanitarian passages would be opened to allow civilians and surrendering fighters to cross from the besieged rebel-held districts of the city to government territory. "This morning dozens of families left via the corridors identified to allow the exit of citizens besieged by terrorist groups in the eastern neighbourhoods," SANA reported. "They were welcomed by members of the army and taken by bus to temporary shelters," it added. It also said "a number" of women over the age of 40 had left the rebel-held east and had been taken to shelters. The agency carried photos showing dozens of people, mostly women and children, walking past soldiers and boarding buses. State television also broadcast footage it said showed residents crossing from the east to the west. SANA added that "armed men from eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo" had turned themselves in to army soldiers in Salaheddin district, without giving figures or showing pictures of the incident. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, confirmed that "a number" of civilians had left the east of the city through a passage in the Salaheddin neighbourhood. It had no exact figures for the number of people who had evacuated. Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012, and the frontline runs through several neighbourhoods, including Salaheddin. The rebel-held side of the city has been effectively under government siege since July 7, when regime forces advanced to within firing range of the only remaining supply route to opposition neighbourhoods. The encirclement has led to food shortages and spiralling prices in the east, with fears of a humanitarian crisis for the estimated 250,000 still living there. (AFP)

Dozens of families flee Aleppo through 'humanitarian corridor': Syria state news

US Secretary of State John Kerry&#39;s attempt to elicit Russian military cooperation in the fight against Islamic State in Syria suffered two potentially crippling blows on Thursday. 
 
First, the Syrian army said it had cut off all supply routes into the eastern part of the city of Aleppo, Syria&#39;s most important opposition stronghold and President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government asked residents to leave the city. 
 
That move, US officials speaking on condition of anonymity said on Thursday, appeared to be an effort to pre-empt a US demand that Russia and Syria reopen a major road into the divided northern city before talks could begin on creating a joint intelligence center to coordinate air attacks against Islamic State. 
 
Then al Qaeda&#39;s Syrian branch announced on Thursday it was terminating its relationship with the global network created by Osama bin Laden and changing its name to remove what it called a pretext by the United States and other countries to attack Syrians. 
 
Although one US official called it &quot;a change in name only&quot;, the move complicates the American proposal to limit the Russians and Syrians to targeting only Nusra and IS, not other rebel groups supported by Washington and its allies in the coalition against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;By disavowing its ties to al Qaeda, which, incidentally, it did with al Qaeda&#39;s blessing Nusra has made it harder to isolate it from more moderate groups, some of whose members may join it now because it&#39;s more powerful than some of the groups they belong to now,&quot; said the official. 
 
US State Department spokesman John Kirby said Washington has been clear about its concerns over the announcement of the humanitarian corridor and that its view of the Nusra Front had not changed despite its name change. 
 
&quot;But we also remain committed to the proposals reached by the United States and Russia to better enforce the cessation of hostilities in Syria and provide the space needed for a resumption of political talks. If fully implemented in good faith, they can achieve a measure of success that has eluded us thus far,&quot; Kirby told Reuters. 
 
&quot;As the secretary made clear, however, we are pragmatic about these efforts, and we will look to Russia to meet its commitments as we will meet ours. That will be the primary, determining factor of success here,&quot; he added. 
 
The twin US goals in Syria have been ending the violence that already has claimed some 400,000 lives, according to United Nations estimates, and seeking a political process to replace Assad, whom President Barack Obama has said &quot;must go&quot;. 
 
But while Washington and Moscow have both expressed hope they can find a way to cooperate against Islamic State, Kerry&#39;s proposal was already in trouble due to the competing objectives of the Cold War-era foes as well as resistance from US military and intelligence officials. 
 
US officials questioned Russian and Syrian claims that their aim in evacuating civilians from Aleppo was to clear the way for humanitarian assistance to reach the besieged city, where 200,000-300,000 civilians remain with only two to three weeks of food on hand. 
 
&quot;Why would you evacuate a city that you wanted to send humanitarian aid to?&quot; asked one official. &quot;At first glance, that would appear to be a unilateral effort by Moscow and Assad to pre-empt Kerry&#39;s demand for ending the siege of Aleppo before starting negotiations on the larger issues. If the proposal isn&#39;t dead, it seems to be pretty badly wounded.&quot; 
 
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura wants a deal as soon as possible so he can restart peace talks within a month and aid flows can resume. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Syrian army said it had cut off all supply routes into the eastern part of Aleppo, and Assad's government asked residents to leave the city

US Secretary of State John Kerry's attempt to elicit Russian military cooperation in the fight against Islamic State in Syria suffered two potentially crippling blows on Thursday. First, the Syrian army said it had cut off all supply routes into the eastern part of the city of Aleppo, Syria's most important opposition stronghold and President Bashar al-Assad's government asked residents to leave the city. That move, US officials speaking on condition of anonymity said on Thursday, appeared to be an effort to pre-empt a US demand that Russia and Syria reopen a major road into the divided northern city before talks could begin on creating a joint intelligence center to coordinate air attacks against Islamic State. Then al Qaeda's Syrian branch announced on Thursday it was terminating its relationship with the global network created by Osama bin Laden and changing its name to remove what it called a pretext by the United States and other countries to attack Syrians. Although one US official called it "a change in name only", the move complicates the American proposal to limit the Russians and Syrians to targeting only Nusra and IS, not other rebel groups supported by Washington and its allies in the coalition against Islamic State. "By disavowing its ties to al Qaeda, which, incidentally, it did with al Qaeda's blessing Nusra has made it harder to isolate it from more moderate groups, some of whose members may join it now because it's more powerful than some of the groups they belong to now," said the official. US State Department spokesman John Kirby said Washington has been clear about its concerns over the announcement of the humanitarian corridor and that its view of the Nusra Front had not changed despite its name change. "But we also remain committed to the proposals reached by the United States and Russia to better enforce the cessation of hostilities in Syria and provide the space needed for a resumption of political talks. If fully implemented in good faith, they can achieve a measure of success that has eluded us thus far," Kirby told Reuters. "As the secretary made clear, however, we are pragmatic about these efforts, and we will look to Russia to meet its commitments as we will meet ours. That will be the primary, determining factor of success here," he added. The twin US goals in Syria have been ending the violence that already has claimed some 400,000 lives, according to United Nations estimates, and seeking a political process to replace Assad, whom President Barack Obama has said "must go". But while Washington and Moscow have both expressed hope they can find a way to cooperate against Islamic State, Kerry's proposal was already in trouble due to the competing objectives of the Cold War-era foes as well as resistance from US military and intelligence officials. US officials questioned Russian and Syrian claims that their aim in evacuating civilians from Aleppo was to clear the way for humanitarian assistance to reach the besieged city, where 200,000-300,000 civilians remain with only two to three weeks of food on hand. "Why would you evacuate a city that you wanted to send humanitarian aid to?" asked one official. "At first glance, that would appear to be a unilateral effort by Moscow and Assad to pre-empt Kerry's demand for ending the siege of Aleppo before starting negotiations on the larger issues. If the proposal isn't dead, it seems to be pretty badly wounded." UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura wants a deal as soon as possible so he can restart peace talks within a month and aid flows can resume. (Reuters)

US effort to induce Russian support in fight against Islamic State in Syria suffers major setbacks

Al-Qaeda&#39;s Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front has executed 14 captured men it accused of fighting for President Bashar al-Assad, in retaliation for a regime advance near Damascus. 
 
A video distributed via the group&#39;s social media accounts showed 14 men, many with injuries including black eyes, stating their names as they lined up in pairs in front of the group&#39;s black flag. 
 
&quot;Implementation of the death sentence against a group of... regime prisoners because of their attack on Harira village in Wadi Barada,&quot; text on the video read. 
 
The footage showed the men being shot in the head simultaneously as they knelt in front of Al-Nusra fighters.&nbsp;Wadi Barada is an area in the Qalamun region of Syria&#39;s Damascus province and is mostly controlled by an array of opposition groups, including Al-Nusra. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said that Al-Nusra had threatened to execute prisoners if government forces entered Harira.&nbsp;The threats came in an earlier video in which one of the captured men warned that the group would kill 14 captives if the government attacked. 
 
Al-Nusra is the local affiliate of Al-Qaeda and has regularly carried out executions of government forces. 
 
In September 2015, it executed at least 56 regime fighters at a military airport in Idlib province in the northwest of the country.&nbsp;More than 280,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011. 
 
(AFP0

A video distributed via the group's social media accounts showed 14 men, many with injuries including black eyes, stating their names

Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front has executed 14 captured men it accused of fighting for President Bashar al-Assad, in retaliation for a regime advance near Damascus. A video distributed via the group's social media accounts showed 14 men, many with injuries including black eyes, stating their names as they lined up in pairs in front of the group's black flag. "Implementation of the death sentence against a group of... regime prisoners because of their attack on Harira village in Wadi Barada," text on the video read. The footage showed the men being shot in the head simultaneously as they knelt in front of Al-Nusra fighters. Wadi Barada is an area in the Qalamun region of Syria's Damascus province and is mostly controlled by an array of opposition groups, including Al-Nusra. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said that Al-Nusra had threatened to execute prisoners if government forces entered Harira. The threats came in an earlier video in which one of the captured men warned that the group would kill 14 captives if the government attacked. Al-Nusra is the local affiliate of Al-Qaeda and has regularly carried out executions of government forces. In September 2015, it executed at least 56 regime fighters at a military airport in Idlib province in the northwest of the country. More than 280,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011. (AFP0

Al-Qaeda executes 14 pro-Assad fighters

At least 11 civilians, including three children, were killed in air strikes on a rebel-held town in Syria&#39;s northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday, a monitor said. 
 
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said it was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes. 
 
The town is controlled by the Army of Conquest, a rebel alliance of mainly Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front that holds almost all of Idlib province. 
 
Video uploaded by activists purportedly showed the aftermath of the strikes, with residents and civil defence workers picking through debris looking for survivors. 
 
Idlib has regularly been targeted by both Syrian government air strikes and raids carried out by its Russian ally. 
 
A longtime backer of the government in Damascus, Moscow stepped up its support for President Bashar al-Assad on September 30, when it began an air campaign aimed at bolstering regime positions. 
 
Elsewhere in the country, the Observatory said at least eight people were killed on Wednesday in the town of Rastan in central Homs province. 
 
Five of them died in air strikes on the town&#39;s market place, which also wounded dozens of people. Another three were killed in shelling earlier Wednesday. 
 
(AFP)

'It was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes'

At least 11 civilians, including three children, were killed in air strikes on a rebel-held town in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday, a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said it was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes. The town is controlled by the Army of Conquest, a rebel alliance of mainly Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front that holds almost all of Idlib province. Video uploaded by activists purportedly showed the aftermath of the strikes, with residents and civil defence workers picking through debris looking for survivors. Idlib has regularly been targeted by both Syrian government air strikes and raids carried out by its Russian ally. A longtime backer of the government in Damascus, Moscow stepped up its support for President Bashar al-Assad on September 30, when it began an air campaign aimed at bolstering regime positions. Elsewhere in the country, the Observatory said at least eight people were killed on Wednesday in the town of Rastan in central Homs province. Five of them died in air strikes on the town's market place, which also wounded dozens of people. Another three were killed in shelling earlier Wednesday. (AFP)

Air strikes kill 11 including children in Syria's Idlib: Monitor

Russia announced a last minute 48-hour ceasefire for Syria&#39;s war-torn Aleppo late Wednesday, just hours after Washington warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ally Moscow that they must respect the nationwide truce agreed in February. 
 
The vital northern province of Aleppo has been ravaged on multiple fronts in a devastating war that has killed more than 280,000 people. 
 
Dozens of fighters were killed in a fresh bout of fighting between the regime, rebels, and jihadists south of Aleppo city on Wednesday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
Backed by Russian and government air strikes, pro-regime fighters are locked in battle with rebel groups and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front for a string of villages lying in hilly terrain between strategic routes. 
 
&quot;On Russia&#39;s initiative, a &#39;regime of silence&#39; has been introduced in Aleppo for 48 hours from 00:01 16 June (2101 GMT Wednesday) with the goal of lowering the level of armed violence and stabilising the situation,&quot; the Russian defence ministry said. 
 
The statement did not specify who Russia has discussed the two-day ceasefire with. 
 
It accused al-Nusra of attacking various Aleppo neighbourhoods with multiple rocket launchers, as well as mounting a tank attack southwest of the city. 
 
The five-year conflict has drawn in world powers who back opposing sides -- including the United States which broadly supports the opposition and Russia on the side of Assad. 
 
&quot;Russia needs to understand that our patience is not infinite, in fact it is very limited with whether or not Assad is going to be held accountable,&quot; said the US secretary of state John Kerry on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;We also are prepared to hold accountable members of the opposition,&quot; he said after a meeting in Norway with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. 
 
UN-hosted peace talks aimed at ending the conflict have been stalled since April, and a fragile ceasefire deal between the government and non-jihadist rebels has all but collapsed. 
 
&quot;It is very clear that the cessation of hostilities is frayed and at risk and that it is critical for a genuine cessation to be put in place,&quot; said Kerry. 
 
Efforts were underway, he said, to reach a new agreement &quot;in the next week or two&quot; to reinstate the ceasefire across Syria, leading to more humanitarian aid deliveries and a resumption of the peace process. 
 
Fresh Aleppo clashes&nbsp; 
 
Since fighting erupted in Aleppo province on Tuesday, at least 70 fighters in total have been killed and the villages of Zaytan and Khalasa have changed hands twice. 
 
The strategic border province is criss-crossed with supply routes for various sides of the conflict, including rebels, regime, Kurds, and jihadists such as the Islamic State group. 
 
Aleppo was once Syria&#39;s commercial powerhouse, but it has been a battleground since 2012 when rebels seized the east of the city confining the army to the west. 
 
A hospital in eastern Aleppo supported by Medecins du Monde was heavily damaged in an air strike on Tuesday, the France-based charity said, without reporting casualties. 
 
Three other hospitals in Syria were hit in bombing at the start of June, leaving 10 dead. 
 
As opposing forces close in from either side, residents of both halves of the city fear a potential total siege on the northern metropolis. 
 
The UN says nearly 600,000 Syrians live in besieged areas, most surrounded by government forces. 
 
Earlier this month, it said the government had granted preliminary aid access to 15 of 18 besieged areas, after one was taken off the UN&#39;s list. 
 
Dozens of opposition activist groups accused the UN of &quot;capitulating&quot; to Damascus on aid access. 
 
The scathing report, authored by The Syria Campaign (TSC) advocacy group, was based on testimonies from current and former UN staff and other aid workers. 
 
It accused the UN of &quot;choosing to prioritise cooperation with the Syrian government at all costs,&quot; allowing the regime to unduly influence UN aid strategy. 
 
The UN humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Yacoub El Hillo, said however that while aid access was not ideal, the UN continues to &quot;assist Syrians based on need&quot;. 
 
TSC spokeswoman Bissan Fakih countered: &quot;A UN with the backbone to stand for its principles would help get aid to hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians under siege, many of them only a few minutes&#39; drive from where the UN is based in Damascus.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The city had been wracked by violence with at least 70 pro-regime fighters, backed by the Russians, killed on Tuesday

Russia announced a last minute 48-hour ceasefire for Syria's war-torn Aleppo late Wednesday, just hours after Washington warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ally Moscow that they must respect the nationwide truce agreed in February. The vital northern province of Aleppo has been ravaged on multiple fronts in a devastating war that has killed more than 280,000 people. Dozens of fighters were killed in a fresh bout of fighting between the regime, rebels, and jihadists south of Aleppo city on Wednesday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Backed by Russian and government air strikes, pro-regime fighters are locked in battle with rebel groups and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front for a string of villages lying in hilly terrain between strategic routes. "On Russia's initiative, a 'regime of silence' has been introduced in Aleppo for 48 hours from 00:01 16 June (2101 GMT Wednesday) with the goal of lowering the level of armed violence and stabilising the situation," the Russian defence ministry said. The statement did not specify who Russia has discussed the two-day ceasefire with. It accused al-Nusra of attacking various Aleppo neighbourhoods with multiple rocket launchers, as well as mounting a tank attack southwest of the city. The five-year conflict has drawn in world powers who back opposing sides -- including the United States which broadly supports the opposition and Russia on the side of Assad. "Russia needs to understand that our patience is not infinite, in fact it is very limited with whether or not Assad is going to be held accountable," said the US secretary of state John Kerry on Wednesday. "We also are prepared to hold accountable members of the opposition," he said after a meeting in Norway with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. UN-hosted peace talks aimed at ending the conflict have been stalled since April, and a fragile ceasefire deal between the government and non-jihadist rebels has all but collapsed. "It is very clear that the cessation of hostilities is frayed and at risk and that it is critical for a genuine cessation to be put in place," said Kerry. Efforts were underway, he said, to reach a new agreement "in the next week or two" to reinstate the ceasefire across Syria, leading to more humanitarian aid deliveries and a resumption of the peace process. Fresh Aleppo clashes Since fighting erupted in Aleppo province on Tuesday, at least 70 fighters in total have been killed and the villages of Zaytan and Khalasa have changed hands twice. The strategic border province is criss-crossed with supply routes for various sides of the conflict, including rebels, regime, Kurds, and jihadists such as the Islamic State group. Aleppo was once Syria's commercial powerhouse, but it has been a battleground since 2012 when rebels seized the east of the city confining the army to the west. A hospital in eastern Aleppo supported by Medecins du Monde was heavily damaged in an air strike on Tuesday, the France-based charity said, without reporting casualties. Three other hospitals in Syria were hit in bombing at the start of June, leaving 10 dead. As opposing forces close in from either side, residents of both halves of the city fear a potential total siege on the northern metropolis. The UN says nearly 600,000 Syrians live in besieged areas, most surrounded by government forces. Earlier this month, it said the government had granted preliminary aid access to 15 of 18 besieged areas, after one was taken off the UN's list. Dozens of opposition activist groups accused the UN of "capitulating" to Damascus on aid access. The scathing report, authored by The Syria Campaign (TSC) advocacy group, was based on testimonies from current and former UN staff and other aid workers. It accused the UN of "choosing to prioritise cooperation with the Syrian government at all costs," allowing the regime to unduly influence UN aid strategy. The UN humanitarian coordinator for Syria, Yacoub El Hillo, said however that while aid access was not ideal, the UN continues to "assist Syrians based on need". TSC spokeswoman Bissan Fakih countered: "A UN with the backbone to stand for its principles would help get aid to hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians under siege, many of them only a few minutes' drive from where the UN is based in Damascus." (AFP)

Russia announces 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo

The Iraqi army began an operation today to storm Falluja, the Islamic State group&#39;s stronghold near Baghdad, a military officer told a Reuters TV crew near the front line.

A military unit is trying to advance in the city, he said as explosions and gunfire could be heard in Falluja&#39;s southern Naimiya district.

The Iraqi army, supported by Iranian-backed Shi&#39;ite militia, began the operation to recapture Falluja on May 23, first by tightening its siege around the city, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, and has now begun a direct assault.

In January 2014, Falluja became the first Iraqi city to fall under the control of the militants, six months before they declared a caliphate over territory seized in Iraq and Syria.

Iraqi army has launched a military assault on the city of Falluja--the first Iraqi city to be captured by the Islamic State in January 2014--to recapture it.

The Iraqi army began an operation today to storm Falluja, the Islamic State group's stronghold near Baghdad, a military officer told a Reuters TV crew near the front line. A military unit is trying to advance in the city, he said as explosions and gunfire could be heard in Falluja's southern Naimiya district. The Iraqi army, supported by Iranian-backed Shi'ite militia, began the operation to recapture Falluja on May 23, first by tightening its siege around the city, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, and has now begun a direct assault. In January 2014, Falluja became the first Iraqi city to fall under the control of the militants, six months before they declared a caliphate over territory seized in Iraq and Syria.

Iraqi army starts operation to recapture IS-held city of Falluja

syrian-civil-war

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

syrian civil-war