Syrian air raids kill at least 36 in Aleppo

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Syrian government aircraft continued dropping crude barrel bombs Sunday on rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo, with a monitoring group reporting at least 36 fatalities. Nearly 90 civilians were reported killed in the same districts on Saturday.
Activists identified 13 of Sunday\’s dead as children. They said helicopters and warplanes targeted at least 15 opposition-held neighborhoods in the divided city.
The latest bombings come as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad slowly advance into rebel-held areas in southeastern Aleppo. Analysts are calling the advances the most significant government gains since opposition fighters seized parts of the city in mid-2012.
The army gains include territory around Aleppo\’s airport, which was closed for almost a year by nearby fighting before reopening last month.
The first round of United Nations-brokered peace talks between Syria\’s warring sides ended Friday with little progress reported. More talks are set for next month.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week called on both sides — particularly the Syrian government — to allow unrestricted aid worker access to civilians trapped in blockaded areas of Homs, and rebel-held areas of southern Damascus.
Syria\’s civil conflict has claimed well over 130,000 lives since it began in 2011.
The violence has also driven 9.5 million people from their homes, creating a major humanitarian crisis within Syria and for its neighbours.
Source: VOA and agencies
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