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| Syrian missile strikes killed at least 141 people in Aleppo, says rights group | Syrian missile strikes killed at least 141 people in Aleppo, says rights group |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| At least 141 people, half of them children, were killed when the Syrian military fired at least four missiles into the northern province of Aleppo last week, Human Rights Watch has said. | At least 141 people, half of them children, were killed when the Syrian military fired at least four missiles into the northern province of Aleppo last week, Human Rights Watch has said. |
| The rights group said the strikes hit residential areas and represented an "escalation of unlawful attacks against Syria's civilian population". The statement from the US-based group followed a visit to the area by one of its researchers. | The rights group said the strikes hit residential areas and represented an "escalation of unlawful attacks against Syria's civilian population". The statement from the US-based group followed a visit to the area by one of its researchers. |
| Aleppo, Syria's largest city, has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting of the war between the Assad regime and opposition forces. | Aleppo, Syria's largest city, has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting of the war between the Assad regime and opposition forces. |
| Rebels seized several neighbourhoods in an offensive in July, but the government still controls some districts and the battle has become a bloody stalemate, with heavy street fighting destroying large sections of the city and forcing thousands of residents to flee. | Rebels seized several neighbourhoods in an offensive in July, but the government still controls some districts and the battle has become a bloody stalemate, with heavy street fighting destroying large sections of the city and forcing thousands of residents to flee. |
| A Human Rights Watch researcher who visited Aleppo last week to inspect the targeted sites, said up to 20 buildings were destroyed in each area hit by a missile. There were no signs of any military targets in the residential districts, located in rebel-held parts of the city and rural areas to the north, said researcher Ole Solvang. | A Human Rights Watch researcher who visited Aleppo last week to inspect the targeted sites, said up to 20 buildings were destroyed in each area hit by a missile. There were no signs of any military targets in the residential districts, located in rebel-held parts of the city and rural areas to the north, said researcher Ole Solvang. |
| "Just when you think things can't get any worse, the Syrian government finds ways to escalate its killing tactics," he said. | "Just when you think things can't get any worse, the Syrian government finds ways to escalate its killing tactics," he said. |
| Human Rights Watch said 71 children were among the 141 people killed in the four missile strikes on three opposition-controlled neighbourhoods in eastern Aleppo – Jabal Badro, Tariq al-Bab and Ard al-Hamra – and one north of the city – Tel Rifat. | Human Rights Watch said 71 children were among the 141 people killed in the four missile strikes on three opposition-controlled neighbourhoods in eastern Aleppo – Jabal Badro, Tariq al-Bab and Ard al-Hamra – and one north of the city – Tel Rifat. |
| "The extent of the damage from a single strike, the lack of [military] aircraft in the area at the time, and reports of ballistic missiles being launched from a military base near Damascus overwhelmingly suggest that government forces struck these areas with ballistic missiles," it said. | "The extent of the damage from a single strike, the lack of [military] aircraft in the area at the time, and reports of ballistic missiles being launched from a military base near Damascus overwhelmingly suggest that government forces struck these areas with ballistic missiles," it said. |
| Syrian anti-regime activists first reported the attacks last week, saying the strikes involved ground-to-ground missiles, and killed dozens of people. The reports could not be independently confirmed because the Syrian authorities severely restrict access to media. | Syrian anti-regime activists first reported the attacks last week, saying the strikes involved ground-to-ground missiles, and killed dozens of people. The reports could not be independently confirmed because the Syrian authorities severely restrict access to media. |
| Human Rights Watch said it compiled a list of those killed in the missile strikes from cemetery burial records, interviews with relatives and neighbours, and information from the Aleppo Media Centre and the Violations Documentation Centre, a network of local activists. | Human Rights Watch said it compiled a list of those killed in the missile strikes from cemetery burial records, interviews with relatives and neighbours, and information from the Aleppo Media Centre and the Violations Documentation Centre, a network of local activists. |
| The rebels control large swaths of land in north-east Syria. In recent weeks the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has lost control of several sites including key infrastructure in that part of the country, including a hydroelectric dam, a major oil field and two army bases on the road linking Aleppo with an airport to its east. | The rebels control large swaths of land in north-east Syria. In recent weeks the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has lost control of several sites including key infrastructure in that part of the country, including a hydroelectric dam, a major oil field and two army bases on the road linking Aleppo with an airport to its east. |
| A key focus for the rebels in the Aleppo area is to capture the city's international airport, which the opposition fighters have been attacking for weeks. | A key focus for the rebels in the Aleppo area is to capture the city's international airport, which the opposition fighters have been attacking for weeks. |
| Opposition forces have also been hitting the heart of the Syrian capital, Damascus, with occasional mortar shells or bombings. | Opposition forces have also been hitting the heart of the Syrian capital, Damascus, with occasional mortar shells or bombings. |
| US and Nato officials have previously said that Syria has a significant ballistic missile capability and is believed to have a few hundred missiles with a range of 440 miles (700km) that could hit targets deep inside Turkey, an alliance member and one of the harshest critics of the Assad regime. | US and Nato officials have previously said that Syria has a significant ballistic missile capability and is believed to have a few hundred missiles with a range of 440 miles (700km) that could hit targets deep inside Turkey, an alliance member and one of the harshest critics of the Assad regime. |
| Nato has in recent weeks deployed Patriot missile systems along Turkey's border with Syria. | Nato has in recent weeks deployed Patriot missile systems along Turkey's border with Syria. |
| The missile attacks have outraged the leaders of the exiled opposition who have accused their western backers of indifference to the suffering of the Syrian people. | The missile attacks have outraged the leaders of the exiled opposition who have accused their western backers of indifference to the suffering of the Syrian people. |
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