U.S. coalition strikes kill 56 civilians in IS-held Syrian city: monitorJuly 19, 2016 - 15:33 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 56 civilians, including 11 children, were killed Tuesday in dawn raids by the U.S.-led coalition outside a Syrian village held by the Islamic State group, a monitor said. Dozens more civilians were injured in the strikes, including some who were in serious condition, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "Residents were fleeing the village of Al-Tukhar in Aleppo province when the strikes hit," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. He said the strikes appeared to have been carried out in error, with the civilians being mistaken for IS fighters. The Observatory -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved. Asked about the incident, the coalition had no immediate comment but said it was looking into the reports. Al-Tukhar lies 14 kilometers north of the town of Manbij, a key stronghold of IS in Aleppo province, AFP says. The Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters that is backed by the coalition, broke into the western districts of Manbij in late June. But their advance has been slowed in the past month because of landmines planted by the jihadists, who have also launched suicide attacks against the SDF. The Observatory on Monday had reported at least 21 civilians dead in U.S.-led coalition strikes on Al-Tukhar and Manbij. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |