Russia targets moderate opposition, civilians in Syria: Report

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Wednesday 02 Dec 2015 - 11:15 Makkah mean time-20-2-1437 Aleppo, (IINA) - The Russian air campaign in Syria, which Moscow claims part of a counter-terrorism offensive against ISIS, has targeted moderate opposition forces and civilians in areas held by forces opposed to the leader of the Syrian Regime Bashar Al-Assad, Anadolu Agency reported. According to the latest report from the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), 263 civilians have been killed by the Russian attacks in Syria. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that, as of November 4, Russian warplanes carried out 1,631 flights over Syria and hit 2,084 targets since the operation began on September 30. The ministry claimed that 190 ISIS positions were hit within 24 hours on Nov. 20. However, in October Russian airstrikes focused on areas around Idlib, Hama, Homs and Aleppo. Between the second half of October and throughout November, the airstrikes were concentrated on the south of Idlib, around Aleppo and on opposition-held areas in the Turkmen region of Bayirbucak in rural Latakia. Maaret al-Numan, south of Idlib, has also come under heavy Russian bombardment throughout the second half of November, resulting in tens of civilian deaths. The attacks have also targeted civilians in Kafr Hamra, to the northwest of Aleppo, and Al-Hadher, a town to the south of the city. Over the past three weeks, jet strikes and missiles fired from ships in the eastern Mediterranean have also targeted the Bayirbucak region to support regime ground troops fighting Turkmen militias. The attacks, which began on the village of Gimam, have been ongoing for the past 12 days as Russian jets and missiles target the strategically important Acisu, Firinlik and Kizildag mountain peaks. Thousands of Turkmen have recently been forced to flee the air and ground attacks. Around 2,000 arrived in southern Turkey over the last few days. AG/IINA