|
Russia raids on Qaeda-run Syria prison kill at least 39
[Daily Star Lebanon] BEIRUT: Russian strikes Saturday on a prison complex run by Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate in the country's northwest killed at least 39 people, including five civilians, a monitoring group said.The strikes hit an Al-Nusra Front building, which lies near a popular market in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The building housed the group's religious court and a jail. Most of those killed were rebels imprisoned by Al-Nusra, while other victims included prison guards and Al-Nusra fighters. Among the dead were five civilians, including a child. Russian warplanes have been conducting airstrikes against the ISIS organisation and "other terrorist groups" in Syria since September 30. Although Al-Nusra and ISIS are both extremist organisations, they are fierce rivals and regularly clash in Syria. Al-Nusra also has tense relationships with non-extremist rebel groups that oppose its extreme interpretation of Islamic law. In Idlib, it has formed an alliance with rebel groups, including hardline faction Ahrar al-Sham. The Army of Conquest coalition has expelled regime forces from Idlib province. The Britain-based Observatory has an extensive network of sources inside Syria and identifies casualties by the type of aircraft flown and the munitions used. Syria's conflict first erupted with anti-government demonstrations in March 2011 but quickly morphed into a war that has left more than 260,000 people dead. Posted by: Besoeker 2016-01-09 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=441503 |