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Militant mortar attacks kill 30, wound 140 civilians in Syria’s Aleppo

Friday, 08 July 2016 7:28 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 09 July 2016 1:15 AM ]

The aftermath of militant rocket attacks at two residential areas in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo on July 8, 2016.

Foreign-backed Takfiri militants have launched several mortar attacks against two residential areas in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, killing over two dozen people and wounding more than 100 others.

At least 30 civilians, including four children, were killed and 140 others sustained injuries as the Takfiris fired rockets at the al-Furqan and al-Sukan neighborhoods of Aleppo city on Friday night, further violating a temporary nationwide ceasefire.

Aleppo has been divided between the government forces and militants since 2012, a year after the conflict broke out in the Arab country.

The deadly shelling comes as the Syrian army declared a unilateral 72-hour truce across the country on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

*Syrians wounded following shelling by militants receive treatment at a hospital in the al-Jamiliyah neighborhood on the government-controlled side of the northern city of Aleppo on July 8, 2016. (AFP)*

The truce entered into force as of 1 p.m. local time (1000 GMT) on Wednesday and is due to end at midnight (2100 GMT Friday).

On Thursday, terrorists also violated the truce by killing at least three people when they shelled Aleppo’s Seif al-Dawla neighborhood late on Wednesday night.

In another development on Thursday, Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters managed to completely wrest control over the Mallah farms near Aleppo. They further recaptured the Castello road, which was used by terrorists as a strategic path to the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo.

Before the truce was announced, at least three more civilians were also killed when Takfiri militants attacked Eid al-Fitr prayers at a residential neighborhood in the embattled province.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The UN has stopped its official casualty count in the Middle Eastern state, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

The Takfiri elements operating in the Arab country have suffered major setbacks over the past few months as the Syrian army has managed to liberate a number of areas from the grip of the extremists.

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