Turkey-backed groups point to Russia for 10 dead in northern Syria

A ballistic missile strike hit the Jarablus and al-Bab districts of northern Syria’s Aleppo province on Friday, initially killing three, with the death toll eventually rising to 10.

Iraqi Kurdish outlet Rudaw reported that 42 people were injured in the twin missile strike that hit oil refineries in the area controlled by Turkey-backed Syrian groups.

Civilian Defence Units chief Raed al-Saleh Mir said Russia and the Syrian government were responsible for the strikes, and called on the international community to take action, according to Rudaw.

Using internationally banned ballistic missiles is “part of the daily terrorism enacted on civilians in Syria”, Mir said.

The National Coalition for the Syrian opposition and the Revolutionary Forces, recognised by Turkey as the “sole legitimate representative of the people of Syria” in 2012, also pointed to Russia for the responsibility.

“Russia is targeting the countryside of Aleppo in a new attack, enacting state terrorism,” the coalition was cited by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency as saying in a statement. “The strikes in Hamran and Terhin represent a dangerous escalation and the state terrorism enacted by invading Russia.”

The coalition called for “a firm international stance that forces Russia to comply with its obligations,” Anadolu reported.