×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Jets pound rebel-held Aleppo after army offensive declared - rescue worker, monitor

by Reuters
Friday, 23 September 2016 06:09 GMT

Men drive a motorcycle amidst rubble of damaged buildings near a graveyard after airstrikes on the rebel held al-Qaterji neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria September 21, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail

Image Caption and Rights Information

"What's happening now is annihilation"

BEIRUT, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Warplanes targeted rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo on Friday in a second day of heavy bombardment hours after the army announced the start of a military operation there, rescue workers and activists said.

The Syrian military, which is backed by the Russian air force, said late on Thursday it was starting a new operation against the rebel-held east, which is home to at least 250,000 people and was also targeted in heavy air strikes on Thursday.

The Syrian military could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday, and there was no word on casualties.

Ammar al Selmo, the head of the civil defence rescue service in eastern Aleppo, told Reuters a squadron of five warplanes was in the skies over the city, identifying them as Russian.

A fresh wave of bombing had started at from 6 a.m. (0300 GMT), after heavy overnight attacks, he said. "What's happening now is annihilation," he said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 30 air strikes had targeted different areas of Aleppo from midnight.

(Reporting by Ellen Francis and Tom Perry; Editing by Nick Macfie and Ralph Boulton)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

-->