This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/05/us-led-air-strikes-on-isis-stronghold-leave-dozens-dead-including-civilians
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
US-led air strikes on Isis stronghold leave dozens dead including civilians | US-led air strikes on Isis stronghold leave dozens dead including civilians |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A US-led coalition has carried out some of its heaviest air strikes yet on Islamic State’s de-facto Syrian capital, killing at least 30 people, including six civilians, according to a human rights monitor. | |
The strikes on Saturday night and Sunday morning also damaged infrastructure in Raqqa, the group’s bastion in northern Syria. | The strikes on Saturday night and Sunday morning also damaged infrastructure in Raqqa, the group’s bastion in northern Syria. |
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 30 people had been killed in US-led coalition strikes, including six civilians, among them a child. The rest were Isis fighters, the Britain-based monitor said. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 30 people had been killed in US-led coalition strikes, including six civilians, among them a child. The rest were Isis fighters, the Britain-based monitor said. |
The US-led coalition said the strikes were some of its heaviest since it began carrying out raids against Isis in Syria last September. | The US-led coalition said the strikes were some of its heaviest since it began carrying out raids against Isis in Syria last September. |
“The significant air strikes tonight were executed to deny Daesh [Isis] the ability to move military capabilities throughout Syria and into Iraq,” spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gilleran said in a coalition statement. “This was one of the largest deliberate engagements we have conducted to date in Syria and it will have debilitating effects on Daesh’s ability to move from Raqqa.” | |
Related: Isis video shows killing of Syrian troops at Palmyra amphitheatre | Related: Isis video shows killing of Syrian troops at Palmyra amphitheatre |
Coalition forces “successfully engaged multiple targets” throughout Raqqa, the statement said, destroying Isis structures and transit routes. The strikes “have severely constricted terrorist freedom of movement”, it added. | Coalition forces “successfully engaged multiple targets” throughout Raqqa, the statement said, destroying Isis structures and transit routes. The strikes “have severely constricted terrorist freedom of movement”, it added. |
The raids came after Isis released a video on Saturday appearing to show the execution of 25 Syrian soldiers in the ancient amphitheatre in the city of Palmyra. | The raids came after Isis released a video on Saturday appearing to show the execution of 25 Syrian soldiers in the ancient amphitheatre in the city of Palmyra. |
The executions had been reported earlier, in the days after Isis seized the town from government forces on 21 May, but the video appeared to be the first evidence of the killings. | The executions had been reported earlier, in the days after Isis seized the town from government forces on 21 May, but the video appeared to be the first evidence of the killings. |