the Prime Minister’s Easter 2024 message
 
March message from Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek
 
A solemn funeral to the late Nazih Nicolas in Sydney
 
One Year of Repair, Reform and Action, and much more to do.
 
Kuwait deplores Israeli occupation's seizure of Palestinian land
 
Patriarch Duwaihi's beatification ceremony to be held in Lebanon
 
One Year of Repair, Reform and Action, and much more to do across Canterbury
 
Have your say on a planning proposal in Carlingford
 
Protecting religious institutions
 
AFIC President, stated that AFIC strongly condemns any act of violence and terrorism and stands in solidarity with the Russian people
 
The community’s hopes and expectations of a Muslim public figure
 
Mr Keating has been a public critic of the AUKUS security pact,...”.
 
Syria conflict: Aleppo pounded as military presses offensive


Syria conflict: Aleppo pounded as military presses offensive

Warplanes have continued to pound the northern city of Aleppo, as Syria's military presses ahead with its new offensive to retake rebel-held areas.

At least 27 people have been killed in the strikes, monitors say, although other reports put the death toll higher. One rescue worker described what happened as "annihilation".

  Image result for Syria conflict: Aleppo pounded as military presses offensive

The government has urged people to avoid positions held by rebels.

US-Russian talks at the UN have failed to revive a collapsed truce.

Activists said both Syrian and Russian warplanes were taking part in the offensive, though Russia has not confirmed its involvement.

Russia supports the Syrian government, while the US backs the opposition. The two powers accuse each other of failing to rein in their respective allies on the ground.

The White Helmets, a Syrian volunteer rescue group, says dozens of air strikes were carried out in Aleppo on Friday morning.

The group says the centres set up to help victims of bombardments were being targeted, and three out of four had been put out of action. One White Helmet volunteer reported air strikes as he carried out an interview with the BBC World Service.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 27 civilians, including three children, were killed and dozens more wounded in the latest air strikes.

Ammar al-Selmo, the head of civil defence in eastern Aleppo, told Reuters news agency that the death toll was more than 70, with at least 40 buildings destroyed.

The Al Jazeera news agency tweeted that its bureau in the city had been partly destroyed.

Announcing the new offensive on state television late on Thursday, the Syrian government warned Aleppo residents to "stay away" from "terrorist positions".

Syrian military sources said a ground offensive would follow.

One told the Agence France-Presse news agency that the bombardment "could go on for hours or days before the ground operation starts. The timing of the ground operation will depend on the results of the strikes".

Army officials said there would be exit points for anyone, including rebels, who wanted to flee.

The government's warning came after days of air strikes on Aleppo. Syria declared the week-long ceasefire over on Monday.

Residents told the BBC earlier this week that barrel bombs had struck rebel-held districts, causing many fires. Dozens of civilians were reported to have been killed.

Thursday night's meeting in New York brought together members of the International Syria Support Group, which includes the US, Russia and other powers.

After the talks broke down without agreement, UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura described them as "painful and disappointing".

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington could not be the only one trying to hold open the door to peace.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused US-backed rebels of ignoring the truce, and said a new one would amount to a "unilateral pause".

Mr Kerry met Mr Lavrov again on Friday and said there had been "a little bit of progress" on resolving differences.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday denied claims that he was responsible for the ongoing fighting.

In an interview with the Associated Press news agency, he reaffirmed his government's position that a deadly strike on an aid convoy in Aleppo on Monday had not been carried out by Syrian or Russian planes.

Mr Assad also ridiculed concern about the army's use of barrel bombs, saying: "What's the difference between different kinds of bombs? All bombs are to kill, but it's about how to use it. When you use armament... you kill terrorists in order to defend civilians."


 














Copyright 2007 mideast-times.com