Syria: dozens killed in an airstrike that hit the hospital in Aleppo, as violence intensifies

A rescuer trying to save a little girl in the area hit by the air
strikes in Aleppo
(Image: The Daily Mail Online)

An air strike hit a hospital located in the rebel-held area in the city of Aleppo in Syria on Friday, 29 April, as the fighting intensifies in Syria despite the ceasefire mediated by the UN and the world powers and declared since 28 February.

A hospital is located in Al-Marja district in Aleppo, controlled by the rebels. The hospital was operating under support of the Doctors Without Borders organization. More than 30 people were killed in an air strike, most of them medical personnel and patients of the hospital and inhabitants of the neighboring residential area. There are also children among the victims of the recent attack. Dozens were left wounded.

Syria: ISIS is driven out of the ancient Palmyra City

Ancient city of Palmyra, Syria
(Image: CNN)

Reuters -BEIRUT: Syrian government forces backed by heavy Russian air support drove Islamic State out of Palmyra on Sunday, inflicting what the army called a mortal blow to militants who seized the city last year and dynamited its ancient temples.

The loss of Palmyra represents one of the biggest setbacks for the ultra-hardline Islamist group since it declared a caliphate in 2014 across large parts of Syria and Iraq.

The army general command said that its forces took over the city with support from Russian and Syrian air strikes, opening up the huge expanse of desert leading east to the Islamic State strongholds of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin orders withdrawal of the country's military forces from Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin orders withdrawal of the
military forces from Syria during the Kremlin meeting
(Image: Reuters)

In a surprise move Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered on Monday, 14 March, the withdrawal of "the main part" of Russian military forces from Syria to start from Tuesday.

During the Monday meeting in Kremlin Mr. Putin told the government and the Defense Minister Mr. Shoigu that Russian military intervention in Syria has largely achieved its goals and objectives and that therefore it could be finalized.

Syrian Geneva peace talks are expected to resume on Monday

Syrian peace talks held in Geneva
(Image: Haaretz)

Peace talks aimed at stopping the five year civil war in Syria that are expected to resume on Monday, 14 March, in Geneva, Switzerland, after the previous peace negotiations held in Vienna last year failed.

US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the talks are more likely to be held on Monday despite several violations of the ceasefire by the sides, both Syrian government forces and rebels as well.

The ceasefire agreement was reached between the Syrian government and the representatives of the Syrian opposition and rebel forces at the end of February in Geneva, as the talks were mediated by US, Russia and UN. According to the latest ceasefire agreement the sides halt the hostilities and fighting starting from 27 February. The agreement did not apply to the terrorist groups including ISIS and Al-Nusra Front, as the fighting against these groups continues in different regions of the country.

Syria: airstrikes hit ISIS positions in the city of Palmyra

The ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, currently under ISIS control
(Image: The Guardian)

Russian warplanes backing government of Bashar Al-Asad in Syria have launched heavy airstrike aimed at the targets and positions of ISIS in the ancient city of Palmyra, that was captured by the extremist jihadist group last May. The strikes have been reportedly launched on Wednesday and Thursday, 9 and 10 March respectively. These airstrikes may be the beginning of the attempts of Syrian Asad's government forces to recapture the city and the neighboring territories.

Egypt's President El-Sisi stressed for the first time Russian airplane was downed by the terrorists

The crash site of Russian civilian airplane downed over Sinai
(Image: The Telegraph)

Reuters - CAIRO: Egypt's president said on Wednesday a Russian plane that crashed in Sinai last year was downed by terrorists seeking to damage its tourism industry and ties with Moscow - the first official indication from Cairo that foul play lay behind the disaster.

"Has terrorism ended? No, it has not, but it will if we unite. Whoever downed the Russian plane, what did he mean? He meant to hit tourism, and to hit relations with Russia," Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in a televised speech.

Syria: the fate of a ceasefire agreement unclear amid Asad's assurances to respect it and Russian airstrikes

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and
US Secretary of State John Kerry during the ceasefire talks
(Image: CBS News)

The fate of Syrian ceasefire agreement brokered recently by USA and Russia remains unclear, as fierce fighting between the Asad's forces supported by Russia and rebel forces continues and fighting against the ISIS militants escalates.

After the failure of the previous Syrian peace talks held earlier in Vienna and recently in Geneva the ceasefire agreement reached after the Munich talks remains the only one glimmer of hope for Syrian people to have a break in the continuous fighting and airstrikes, that have already left thousands Syrians dead, mostly civilians.

Russia proposes March 1 ceasefire in Syria

Damaged buildings in the streets of Syrian cities
(Image: CBC)

Reuters -MUNICH, WASHINGTON: A Western official said on Wednesday that Russia has made a proposal to begin a ceasefire in Syria on March 1, but the official said no agreement has been reached on the Russian offer.

The official said the United States has concerns about some elements of the Russian proposal.

Envoy: Russia strikes boost ISIS

Earlier, the U.S. envoy to the coalition against ISIS said on Wednesday that Russian airstrikes in Syria are boosting the militant group because of the toll they are taking on U.S.-backed opposition fighters.

Geneva peace talks on Syria are temporary suspended by UN

Syrian peace talks held in Geneva, Switzerland
(Image: DW)

The UN mediated peace talk on Syria being held in Geneva, Switzerland, were postponed on Wednesday, 3 February. The peace talks are aimed at ending the five year long devastating civil war in Syria which left more than 260 000 people killed and forced nearly half of Syrian citizens to leave the country. The civil war also fuelled rise of the extremist ISIS group in the region.

The peace talks were suspended by the UN and in accordance with the statements of the Syrian oppositional groups due to the continuous attacks of the Syrian regime forces against the rebel held territories what prevents the humanitarian aid and supplies to be delivered on the besieged territories.

Amnesty International: Russian bombings in Syria may be a war crime

Russian airstrikes in Syria
(Image: Global Post)

Reuters, Al-Arabiya - MOSCOW: Russia’s bombing of Syria may amount to a war crime because of the number of civilians its strikes have killed, Amnesty International said on Wednesday, presenting what it said was evidence that the air raids had violated humanitarian law.

“Russian air strikes in Syria have killed hundreds of civilians and caused massive destruction in residential areas, striking homes, a mosque and a busy market, as well as medical facilities, in...attacks that show evidence of violations of international humanitarian law,” Amnesty said in a new report.

Syria peace talks: UN unanimously backs peace plan

UN Security Council session
(Image: Reuters)

UN Security Council has unanimously adopted resolution outlining a peace process in the war torn Syria. The 15-member Council has reached an agreement of this issue during the UN Security Council's session held on Friday, 18 December.

The resolution endorses peace talks to be held between the Syrian government and the opposition scheduled for early January 2016 and a ceasefire to be implemented for the time of the talks and further.

Egypt: Preliminary investigation probes show no evidence of a terrorist attack in the Russian airplane crash

Debris of a Russian passenger jet crashed over Sinai in Egypt
(Image: ABC News)

Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry made an official statement regarding the preliminary results of an investigation of a Russian passenger jet downed over Central Sinai on 31 October this year. The statement was made on Monday, 14 December, and claimed there was no evidence that the Russian airplane was brought down as a result of a terrorist attack.

Egypt's chief investigator Ayman Al-Muqqadam stated that the investigation and probes concluded by Egypt on Sunday, 13 December, the preliminary report on the Russian airplane crash, and the technical committee has so far found no evidence that the criminal or terrorist activity was the reason of a Russian jet crash. The statement also added that the copies of the preliminary report concluded by Egyptian side was sent to all the international experts taking part in the probe, including aviation experts from Russia, France and Ireland and experts from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

USA urges Turkey and Russia to end tensions over the downed Russian warplane

US President Barack Obama during the Paris climate talks
(Image: Voice of America News)

Reuters -PARIS: US President Barack Obama has urged Turkey and Russia to reduce tensions, a week after Turkish jets shot down a Russian warplane.

After talks with Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Paris, Mr Obama reaffirmed US support for "Turkey's right to defend itself and its airspace".

But he stressed that Russia and Turkey should "de-escalate" their dispute.

"We all have a common enemy," Mr Obama said, referring to the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.

Turkey: President Erdogan says Russia should apologize after the jet downing

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
(Image: The California Courier)

Reuters, AFP, Al-Arabiya - ANKARA: Russia should apologize for violating Turkey’s airspace, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Thursday, days after a Russian jet was shot down near the Syria border.

“Those who violated our airspace are the ones who need to apologise,” Erdogan was quoted as saying on the CNN website.

“Our pilots and our armed forces, they simply fulfilled their duties, which consisted of responding to ... violations of the rules of engagement. I think this is the essence.”

Turkey shots down Russian warplane on the border with Syria

A footage of the Russian warplane hit by Turkish Armed Forces
over Syrian border
)(Image: Ahram Online)

Turkish warplanes F-16 have shot down Russian military aircraft Su-24 on the border with Syria early in the morning on Tuesday, 24 November.

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a statement regarding the incident and called it a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of the terrorists", claiming that Russian aircraft was hit by air-to-air missile. Russian officials also claim that the aircraft was flying over the Syrian territory carrying out the aerial strikes against the ISIS bases located in the Syrian Province of Latakia, on the North of the country, where the militants arriving from Russian Northern Caucasus are reportedly based.

Hopes for peace in Syria are dim if Assad stays in power, according to Obama

Syria peace talks in Vienna
(Image: NDTV)

AFP,Ahram-Online: Hopes for a quick political transition in war-ravaged Syria dimmed Thursday as embattled President Bashar al-Assad threw cold water on an ambitious timetable agreed at international talks in Vienna.

At the same time, the US held firm to its calls for Assad's departure, with President Barack Obama insisting the war could not end unless the Syrian leader steps down.

"I do not foresee a situation in which we can end the civil war in Syria while Assad remains in power," said Obama.

Russian officials: Airbus crashed over Sinai was brought down by a bomb

Wreckage of Russian passenger jet crashed over Sinai
(Image: Mashable)

Russian officials declared on Tuesday, 17 November, that a homemade explosive device planted inside the airplane was the cause of the airplane crash over Egyptian Sinai Peninsula, that occurred on 31 October and killed all 224 people on board.

ISIS group has claimed responsibility for downing of a Russian airplane and stated it was an act of retaliation for Russian airstrikes and bombings of Syria.

The Head of Russian intelligence service FSB Alexander Bortnikov declared it on Tuesday during the official meeting with the Russian President Vladimit Putin and Russian officials including Defense Ministry representatives.

Syria peace talks in Vienna result in "concrete calendar" leading to elections

Participants of Syrian peace talks happening in Vienna, Austria
(Image: Al-Arabiya)

AFP, Al-Arabiya- VIENNA: World diplomats gathered in Vienna had agreed on a fixed calendar for Syria that would see a transition government in six months and elections in 18 months.

The 17 countries, European Union, United States and Arab League meeting in Vienna agreed agreed on Saturday to accelerate efforts to end the conflict in Syria by launching negotiations between the government and opposition by January and holding elections within 18 months, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Russian airplane crash: Investigation is 90% sure the plane's crash was caused by bomb, while Egypt launches inquiry into bomb claims

Devris of the Russian airplane crashed over Sinai
(Image: Al-Arabiya)

BBC - CAIRO: Egypt has launched its own inquiry into whether a bomb may have been placed on the Russian airliner that crashed in Sinai, killing all 224 people on board.

A senior Egyptian official - who asked not to be named - told the BBC that every lead was now being followed up.

However, Egypt stresses that the official investigation into the crash of the Airbus 321 is not yet finished.

Some Western experts have suggested militants in the Sinai peninsula could have bombed the plane on 31 October.

Russian airplane crash: Black boxes analysis indicates the bomb was the most plausible cause of the crash over Sinai

The debris of the Russian airplane in Sinai and Egyptian
soldiers patrolling the area
(Image: The Guardian)

An initial analysis of the black boxes data of the Russian Metrojet airplane crashed on Saturday, 31 October, over Egyptian Sinai, indicates that the bomb explosion was the most plausible cause of the crash, according to the reports of Egyptian officials close to the investigation of the tragedy.

Egyptian, Russian, German and French specialists work in the special investigation committee in order to find out the cause of the terrible tragedy with the Russian civilian jet that was carrying mostly Russian tourists and was on the route from the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to Russian St. Petersburg. 224 people on the board died in the airplane crash, there were no survivors.