Syrian regime, Russia accused of using phosphorus bombs

By Halit Suleyman,Levent Tok and Selen Temizer

ALEPPO/ASTANA (AA) – Syrian and Russian warplanes has struck opposition-held areas in the northern Aleppo province with phosphorus bombs this week, according to a pro-opposition civil defense official.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, Muhammed al-Ahmed said the attacks targeted Kafr Hamra village, the towns of Atarib and Anadan and the areas of al-Rashedin and Dar Ta Izzah in Aleppo.

He said warplanes also hit the cities of Idlib, Maarrat al-Nu'man Jisr al-Shughur.

“Phosphorus bombs were used in most of the attacks,” he alleged.

According to al-Ahmed, a large number of civilians were reportedly injured in the attacks.

Meanwhile, Yusuf al-Bustani, a civil defense member in the southwestern Daraa province, said regime warplanes bombarded residential areas in Daraa al-Balad and Om ElMiathin towns in recent days.

The accusations come as Kazakh capital Astana was preparing to host a two-day meeting to discuss ways of reaching a solution to the six-year conflict in Syria.

The meeting, which the opposition has boycotted, is expected to be attended by representatives from Russia, Turkey and Iran.

On Saturday, the Syrian opposition on called for postponing the meeting until March 20, citing repeated regime violations of the Dec. 30 cease-fire deal in the war-battered country.

Following the cease-fire, the first round of Astana talks was held on Jan. 23 and 24, brokered by Turkey, which backs the opposition, and Russia and Iran, who support Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests. Since then, more than 250,000 people have been killed and in excess of 10 million displaced, according to the UN.