Russian jets bomb residential area in Aleppo, 10 killed

By Halit Suleyman and Ayse Aktas

ALEPPO

Russian fighter jets on Sunday bombed Syrian opposition-held residential area in Aleppo with cluster bombs, killing at least 10 civilians, local defense sources told Anadolu Agency.

Aleppo civil defense official Necip Ensari said warplanes struck the town of Salihin a day before a truce deal which is supposed to begin with the start of the Muslim holiday celebration of Eid al-Adha on Monday.

According to Ensari, the attack killed at least 10 civilians including seven children and two women while injuring 18 others.

There were still people trapped under debris, Ensari added.

Early Saturday, the U.S. and Russia agreed to take steps to reduce violence in war-torn Syria.

Kerry dubbed the deal a “turning point”, according to media reports, and said that along with Russia he hoped it would “reduce violence, ease suffering and resume movement towards a negotiated peace and a political transition in Syria”.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests.

According to the Syrian Center for Policy Research, at least 470,000 Syrians have died in the five-year conflict.