Syria

Syrian boy cries for father after losing legs in bombing

This is the aftermath of an apparent air raid Thursday in the northwest province in Idlib in northwestern Syria, as shown by a video circulated by Syrian opposition activists on social media.

UK-based monitoring network Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the barrel bomb attack came from Syrian Army warplanes. CNN cannot independently verify claims of the origin of the attack. There's been no comment from the Syrian regime or Syrian state media.

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Russian intel: ISIS planning further destruction of Syria's ancient Palmyra site

The city has seen many of its irreplaceable antiquities, monuments and historic sites destroyed since the terror group first occupied it in May 2015.

Russia's Defense Ministry released a statement Monday saying they have detected "an upsurge in truck movement" near the ancient site that indicates that ISIS is planning to cause even more damage to the ancient complex.

Syria accuses Israel of bombardment

State television quoted the army as saying several rockets landed in the airport compound in Mezzeh, Reuters news agency reports.

It remains unclear if the alleged bombardment, which caused fires, has caused any casualties.

The Israeli government has previously not confirmed or denied that it carries out strikes in Syria.

It is thought to have bombed weapons shipments intended for Lebanon's Hezbollah movement several times since Syria's civil war began in 2011.

Aleppo family of 6 killed in 'chemical attack'

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said preliminary reports indicated a married couple and their four children were killed in one of many airstrikes to hit the al-Sakhour neighborhood in Aleppo's besieged east. The group said chlorine gas was used in the bombardment.

he Aleppo Media Center (AMC) activist group also reported that the family was killed and posted a photo of the aftermath on Twitter. The AMC said a barrel bomb containing chlorine gas was dropped on the neighborhood from helicopters.

Aleppo residents get warning by text message: You have 24 hours to leave

The warning came via text message, urging the sick and wounded to flee before a "strategically planned assault using high precision weapons occurs within 24 hours."

Rebels were also given an ultimatum to lay down their arms and renounce their leadership, or be killed.

The message was likely sent by the Syrian government as the regime is likely the only party capable of sending a mass text to the entire population.

Russian, US military planes in near miss over Syria

US Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, who commands US air operations across the Middle East, characterized the incident as a "near miss."

Both planes were flying at hundreds of miles an hour with their lights off on the night of October 17. The US military plane came within less than half a mile of the Russian jet, close enough to be in the jet wash of the Russian plane, according to US military officials.

The Russian fighter jet was escorting a Russian spy plane, according to Harrigian.

Turkey's complex reasons for fighting in Syria and Iraq

But these efforts have been complicated in recent weeks by one of Washington's oldest allies in the region: Turkey.

The Turkish government is lashing out against factions currently battling ISIS. Ankara has been engaged in a very public war of words with the government in Iraq. At the same time, the Turkish military has been bombing US-backed Kurdish militants in Syria.

Part of this policy stems from Turkey's unenviable position, living alongside two of the bloodiest, most destabilizing conflicts the Middle East has seen in a generation.

 

Syria blamed for chemical weapons attack in 2015

The leaked report says helicopters dropped barrel bombs holding chlorine gas, a prohibited weapon, on the north-west province of Idlib in March 2015.

An earlier report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) blamed the Syrian government for two other gas attacks in 2015.

The government has not yet commented.

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under the terms of an agreement negotiated between Moscow and Washington.

Russian warships pass through English Channel

Two British naval ships are shadowing the vessels. The Ministry of Defence said they would be "man-marked every step of the way" while near UK waters.

A Russian tug, believed to be in convoy with the taskforce, entered the channel first off the coast near Ramsgate.

EU leaders have strongly condemned Russia's involvement in bombing the Syrian city of Aleppo.

The ships are within international waters but Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the UK would "be watching as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe".

IS 'loses more than a quarter of its territory' in Syria and Iraq

Security and defence analysts IHS say the group's control has shrunk by 28% since its height in January 2015.

In the first nine months of this year, IS' territory fell from 78,000 sq km (30,115 sq miles) to 65,500 sq km - an area equivalent to the size of Sri Lanka - IHS analysts said.

However, IS losses have slowed in the three months to October.

IS has lost just 2,800 sq km (1,080 sq miles) since July.

The slowdown appears to coincide with Russia reducing the number of air strikes against IS targets, IHS has observed.