More aircraft arrive as deadly Russian airstrikes on Syria intensify

Air raids by Russian warplanes are thought to have claimed over 9000 lives in the past year

The fighting has destroyed large parts of the city of Aleppo
The fighting has destroyed large parts of the city of Aleppo

At the same time that Russia appears to be sending more warplanes to Syria, the offensive by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s ground forces in also increasing in intensity.

The fighting comes a week into the new drive by the Russian-backed Syrian government to capture rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Pro-regime forces say they are taking territory.

Russia’s Izvestia newspaper has reported the arrival of warplanes at a base in Syria.

News of the attacks comes shortly after a UK-based monitoring group has claimed Russian airstrikes over the past year had killed more than 9,000 people.

Moscow insists that its air campaign targets ‘terrorists’ and is in line with international law.

Russia joined the war in Syria a year ago, tipping the balance of power in favour of Assad, who is also supported by Iranian ground forces and Shi’ite militia from Lebanon and Iraq.

Meanwhile US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov continued discussion by telephone for a third consecutive day. On Friday the US had made clear that it would not, for the time being, follow through on its threat to halt the diplomacy if Russia did not take immediate steps to stop the violence,

Activiests on the ground in Syria claimed banned cluster munitions had been used in new Russian airstrikes on a residential neighbourhood of Aleppo.