Syrian crisis: Coalition air strikes near IS-held village in Aleppo kill dozens of civilians

Children were among at least 56 civilians killed in coalition air strikes near a Syrian village held by the Islamic State group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Elsewhere in Aleppo province, air strikes probably carried out by Russian warplanes killed 21 civilians, including six children, in the rebel-held town of Atareb, said the Observatory.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information, said it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved.

Asked about the Al-Tukhar strike, the US-led coalition — which includes Australian warplanes — said it had “conducted air strikes near Manbij … recently” and that it was looking into the reports alleging civilian casualties.

“As with any allegation we receive, we will review any information we have about the incident … such as the proximity of the location” to coalition air strikes, it wrote in a statement to the AFP news agency.

“We take all measures during the targeting process to avoid or minimise civilian casualties or collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict.”

Al-Tukhar lies 14 kilometres north of the town of Manbij, a key Islamic State group (IS) stronghold that has been repeatedly targeted in raids by the coalition.

Manbij sits on IS’ main supply route between Syria and neighbouring Turkey, and has been the target of a US-backed offensive by a Kurdish-Arab alliance of fighters since May 31.

In June, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance broke into western districts of the town, but their advance has been slowed in the past month due to landmines planted by the jihadists and ongoing suicide attacks.

The coalition said in a statement that SDF fighters had captured an IS “command centre and logistics hub” in western Manbij on Sunday.

It said the fighters had also seized “a significant amount of the city during the operation, which provided civilians the opportunity to escape”.

SDF fighters control around a quarter of Manbij, according to the Observatory.

Clashes near Aleppo

Syrian Government forces have sought to tighten their siege of rebel-held districts of the battleground city of Aleppo.

Clashes erupted around Handarat, a largely deserted Palestinian refugee camp north of the city, after Government forces seized parts of the only remaining supply route into rebel-held eastern districts, effectively severing them from the outside world.

The capture of the Castello Road has raised fears of a lengthy siege of east Aleppo, where residents have already reported food shortages and rising prices.

“If the regime takes Handarat, it will be able to completely asphyxiate the rebels in east Aleppo, and they will be unable to launch counter-attacks to retake the Castello Road,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Analysts warned the government advances around Aleppo could be “devastating” for the rebels.

The United Nations has raised concern about the fate of the more than 200,000 people still living in rebel-held districts.

It said relief supplies had already been stockpiled in the city, but “further lifesaving aid is needed urgently”.

More than 280,000 people are estimated to have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since Syria’s war began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Source: Syrian crisis: Coalition air strikes near IS-held village in Aleppo kill dozens of civilians – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)