Syria: Russian warplanes bombard opposition in Aleppo

At least three civilians have been killed with many others wounded after Russian aircraft bombed villages on the outskirts of western Aleppo, while armed Syrian opposition groups continued fierce fighting against Assad regime forces near the central city of Hama.

Reports indicate that Russian military aircraft targeted the villages of Dara Izza and Abyan that lie just outside of Aleppo’s western administrative borders. The Russian airstrikes not only killed civilians, but destroyed much of the villages’ infrastructure and buildings.

Russian warplanes also targeted the district of Kafrnaha with two airstrikes, leading to further civilian casualties. Activists on the ground have confirmed that the Russians utilised cluster bombs that are indiscriminate munitions that pose great risk to civilians in urban areas.

Russian ceasefire ends, airstrikes begin

Russian airstrikes have increased in intensity since a unilateral ceasefire Moscow imposed came to an end last night.

Moscow claimed that the ceasefire was to allow a “humanitarian” pause to the fighting, yet Assad regime officials and their Russian backers later came out and said that Syrian opposition fighters would also be allowed to leave Aleppo via these so-called humanitarian corridors.

The Syrian opposition rejected the Russian ceasefire, stating that it was a ruse designed to get them to use non-existent corridors to leave the city so that Damascus and Moscow could then kill them.

Similarly, the United Nations stated that Moscow’s unilateral effort did not provide sufficient guarantees to international aid efforts that they would be safe from harm as they attempted to deliver much needed help to opposition-held eastern Aleppo.

Russia has been bombing Aleppo relentlessly ever since the ten-hour halt came to an end.