Syrian opposition claims Russia dropped phosphorous bomb in Idlib

Yasser Al-Yousef, the political leader of Syria’s opposition movement Nour Al-Dina al-Zanki, has stated that a Russian plane dropped a phosphorous bomb on the village of Baneen in Idlib province in northern Syria.

Al-Yousef told Anadolu news agency last night that the bomb resulted in injuries in the village, but he did not state the nature of these injuries, the number of casualties or when the bombing occurred.

Russian warplanes started an air campaign in late September on what it described as “terrorist organisation locations” in Syria. Western capitals are accusing Moscow of directing 90 per cent of its air strikes on the Syrian opposition, most notably the Free Syrian Army, rather than on Daesh targets.

The Russian bombing, which added a new aspect to the Syrian crisis, has forced 80,000 people, especially those living in the northern suburbs of the Hama province, to leave their homes and seek refuge in the suburbs of Idlib and the areas bordering Turkey.

The British Ambassador to the UN and current President of the UN Security Council Matthew Rycroft stressed yesterday that the Syrian regime continues to be involved in committing numerous human rights violations in Syria, including using chemical weapons and explosive barrels against the civilian population.