Russia strikes training camp, weapons factory in Syria: officials

Russia says it’s struck ten more ISIL (Daesh) targets in Syria, after vowing to step up its aerial bombardment.

A militant training camp and a suicide belt factory where among the sites hit, according to defence officials.
Moscow says it’s aim is to weaken the so-called Islamic State militants.

Western powers claim the campaign is about supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia is also facing opposition from Syrians on the ground.

Protesters in Aleppo want an end to the Assad regime – and an end to Moscow’s air strikes.

“When we see the international conspiracy and the Russian intervention with its aircraft against our civilian brothers, and the efforts of the Free Army Brigades, we feel it is our duty to stand together – unified against Russian intervention,” said Mahmoud Al-Jaber.

“Syria will be, God willing, a graveyard for Russian invaders.”

Assad says Syria, Russia, Iran and Iraq are united in battling terrorism and are likely to succeed.

That message came out of an interview with Iranian television, in which he also reportedly criticised the US campaign against ISIL – claiming there has been an expansion of violence.

Assad says his country and its allies must succeed or the region will face “destruction.”

Meanwhile, amateur video purportedly shows a team of rescuers being hit by a missile in Syria’s Idlib province.

They were apparently searching for victims of an earlier strike at the time. It is claimed one person was killed and another injured.