Syrian Army Attacks Kill 57, Say Activists

At least 57 people, including 15 children and six women, were killed Tuesday in air and ground operations allegedly carried out across Syria by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, according to opposition activists.



The London-based Syrian Network for Human Rights, which tracks civilian and opposition casualties, said the regime's air and land operations killed 25 people in Aleppo, 14 in Daraa, eight in the suburbs of the capital, Damascus, four in Idlib, two each in Homs and Hama and one each in Deir ez-Zor and Haseke.



Also, the Syrian Local Coordination Committee said the Assad army had attacked in Aleppo with barrel bombs and many homes were destroyed.



The Syrian government's official news agency, SANA, claimed that Syrian troops "neutralized" a large number of armed groups in Hama, Aleppo, Idlib, and Daraa and during the clashes at least 27 people were injured.



Syria has been gripped by fighting since the regime launched a violent crackdown in response to anti-government protests in March, 2011, triggering a conflict that has spiraled into a civil war.



The UN has stopped updating its death toll for the country because an official count has become too difficult to verify. At least 100,000 deaths were recorded in the last official count, in July 2013.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Halep