43 killed in Syria army shelling of rebel town

AFP, BEIRUT: Fierce government bombardment of an opposition-controlled Syrian town has killed 43 people, among them children and medical staff, a monitoring group said Sunday in a new toll.
Hours of air strikes and shelling on Saturday struck Jayrud, 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said two medics were among the dead, as well as women and children.
One of those killed was Amjad al-Danaf, head of Jayrud’s medical centre.
Activists mourned him online and said he was killed in an air raid as he was trying to treat residents wounded in the attacks.
The bombardment—the first on Jayrud in at least two years—began after Syria’s armed forces said Islamist militants killed a government pilot when he was forced to eject from his plane on Friday.
In a statement, the military had pledged that the attack on its pilot “will not go unpunished”.
Early Sunday, Abdel Rahman said prominent figures in Jayrud had reached an agreement with government officials that rebel fighters would leave the town and hand over the pilot’s body in exchange for a halt to the shelling.
A Facebook page run by Jayrud activists that publishes news about the town said rebels began withdrawing from their bases around the town overnight.
Anti-regime factions in Jayrud include the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), the hardline Ahrar al-Sham, and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. A truce between the regime and local representatives had kept the town calm for over two years.
Dozens of similar agreements have been brokered among the myriad of armed groups fighting in Syria’s complex war.
But a broader ceasefire between government forces and non-jihadist rebels brokered by the United States and Russia in February has been repeatedly violated by both sides.
More than 280,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaces since Syria’s conflict broke out in March 2011.
Meanwhile, Syrian government forces were locked in fierce battles with rebels north of Aleppo on Sunday in a bid to cut the last opposition route out of the city, a monitor said.
Fresh clashes broke out overnight in Mallah, a section of farmland on the northern edge of the divided city of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have been attempting to seize Mallah for more than two years as it runs adjacent to the Castello Road—the last route rebels can use to access districts they control in the city.
“Regime forces were able to advance in the area, but the Castello Road is still open,” said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
“If they seize control of all of Mallah, they will be able to besiege the opposition neighbourhoods of Aleppo city,” he added.
Syrian daily Al-Watan, which is close to the government, quoted a field commander on Sunday morning saying the army had fully overrun Mallah but had not yet cut off the Castello Road.
“The army has two kilometres (less than two miles) left to cut the militants’ only lifeline from the eastern neighbourhoods to the outside world via the Castello Road,” the paper wrote.
Fighting has rocked Mallah since a government assault on the area began in late June, followed by a jihadist-led counterattack.
The situation has remained fluid, with each side advancing briefly before being rolled back.

43 killed in Syria army shelling of rebel town

AFP, BEIRUT: Fierce government bombardment of an opposition-controlled Syrian town has killed 43 people, among them children and medical staff, a monitoring group said Sunday in a new toll. Hours of air strikes and shelling on Saturday struck Jayrud, 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said two medics were among the dead, as well as women and children. One of those killed was Amjad al-Danaf, head of Jayruds medical centre. Activists mourned him online and said he was killed in an air raid as he was trying to treat residents wounded in the attacks. The bombardmentthe first on Jayrud in at least two yearsbegan after Syrias armed forces said Islamist militants killed a government pilot when he was forced to eject from his plane on Friday. In a statement, the military had pledged that the attack on its pilot will not go unpunished. Early Sunday, Abdel Rahman said prominent figures in Jayrud had reached an agreement with government officials that rebel fighters would leave the town and hand over the pilots body in exchange for a halt to the shelling. A Facebook page run by Jayrud activists that publishes news about the town said rebels began withdrawing from their bases around the town overnight. Anti-regime factions in Jayrud include the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), the hardline Ahrar al-Sham, and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. A truce between the regime and local representatives had kept the town calm for over two years. Dozens of similar agreements have been brokered among the myriad of armed groups fighting in Syrias complex war. But a broader ceasefire between government forces and non-jihadist rebels brokered by the United States and Russia in February has been repeatedly violated by both sides. More than 280,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaces since Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011. Meanwhile, Syrian government forces were locked in fierce battles with rebels north of Aleppo on Sunday in a bid to cut the last opposition route out of the city, a monitor said. Fresh clashes broke out overnight in Mallah, a section of farmland on the northern edge of the divided city of Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. President Bashar al-Assads forces have been attempting to seize Mallah for more than two years as it runs adjacent to the Castello Roadthe last route rebels can use to access districts they control in the city. Regime forces were able to advance in the area, but the Castello Road is still open, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. If they seize control of all of Mallah, they will be able to besiege the opposition neighbourhoods of Aleppo city, he added. Syrian daily Al-Watan, which is close to the government, quoted a field commander on Sunday morning saying the army had fully overrun Mallah but had not yet cut off the Castello Road. The army has two kilometres (less than two miles) left to cut the militants only lifeline from the eastern neighbourhoods to the outside world via the Castello Road, the paper wrote. Fighting has rocked Mallah since a government assault on the area began in late June, followed by a jihadist-led counterattack. The situation has remained fluid, with each side advancing briefly before being rolled back.