Dozens dead in Russian, US bombing in oil-rich Syrian area
Ramadan Al-Fatash
CAIRO, Ramadan Al-Fatash (dpa)- Dozens of people, mostly civilians, were killed by separate Russian and US airstrikes in an oil-rich region in eastern Syria where rival fighters are battling the Islamic State extremist militia, a monitor reported on Sunday.
At least 34 civilians, including eight children, have been killed in the past 24 hours by Russian warplanes supporting an ongoing campaign by Syrian government forces against Islamic State in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added.
The victims were riding boats on the Euphrates River in Deir al-Zour, the watchdog said.
There was no immediate comment in Moscow.
On Tuesday, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ended a nearly three-year Islamic State siege on the city of Deir al-Zour, the capital of the province of the same name.
On Saturday, a Syrian Kurd-led alliance, supported by the United States, started a separate offensive against Islamic State in Deir al-Zour.
Both sides have reported advances against Islamic State there.
Earlier Sunday, the Observatory reported that at least 23 people had been killed in aerial bombardment by a US-led alliance on a prison run by Islamic State in Dier al-Zour.
The attack took place on Saturday in the town of al-Bu Kamal near the Iraqi border.
The dead included 18 prisoners and five Islamic State militants.
At least 10 of the dead prisoners were Iraqis, added the Britain-based Observatory added that relies on a network of activists inside Syria.
Most of the province of Deir al-Zour has been controlled by Islamic state since 2014.
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There was no immediate comment in Moscow.
On Tuesday, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ended a nearly three-year Islamic State siege on the city of Deir al-Zour, the capital of the province of the same name.
On Saturday, a Syrian Kurd-led alliance, supported by the United States, started a separate offensive against Islamic State in Deir al-Zour.
Both sides have reported advances against Islamic State there.
Earlier Sunday, the Observatory reported that at least 23 people had been killed in aerial bombardment by a US-led alliance on a prison run by Islamic State in Dier al-Zour.
The attack took place on Saturday in the town of al-Bu Kamal near the Iraqi border.
The dead included 18 prisoners and five Islamic State militants.
At least 10 of the dead prisoners were Iraqis, added the Britain-based Observatory added that relies on a network of activists inside Syria.
Most of the province of Deir al-Zour has been controlled by Islamic state since 2014.
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