Assad, backed by Russian Federation and Iran, has focused mostly on fighting Sunni Arab rebels who have been battling to oust him in western Syria with support from countries including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
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In this frame grab provided by Russian Defence Ministry press service pilots fly a Russian long range bomber Tu-22M3 during an air strike over Syria on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016.
Xinhua said Guan expressed China’s willingness to boost military cooperation with Syria, while the newspaper Global Times cited the Chinese Defense Ministry as saying that both sides agreed to expand personnel training and humanitarian aid through the Chinese military.
Doctors in Aleppo use code names for hospitals, which they say have been systematically targeted by government air strikes, leaving patients too frightened to seek treatment.
Russian Federation said on Thursday it would stop attacks on Aleppo for 48 hours next week to allow delivery of humanitarian aid, indicating it would also prevent the Syrian government from bombing there, provided the United States could guarantee a similar pause by the “so-called moderate opposition”.
Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in NY on Thursday, shortly after Russian Federation expressed its support for 48-hour weekly cease-fires in the embattled Syrian city, Haq said that “trucks with food, water and medicine are ready to move immediately”.
The Observatory also reported residents were fleeing the city and that clashes picked up in the afternoon again.
“This concerns Aleppo’s Qaterji mentioned by the Western mass media that is adjacent to two corridors recently opened to provide safe passage for local citizens as part of Russia’s humanitarian operation”, the Ministry’s spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters.
The EU on Thursday said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the escalation of violence in Aleppo” and especially “all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and the excessive and disproportionate attacks by the Syrian regime”.
It said that the raid struck five ammunition and fuel facilities, six command facilities and “destroyed a large number of militants, artillery and armor”.
Moscow must ensure its allied Syrian government forces adhere to the pause, while the United States and regional powers must ensure opposition fighters are also on board, he said.
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The amateur footage shows three small children sitting in the back of ambulance, all covered in dust. Soon after the boy’s rescue, his family’s damaged house completely gave in.
