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                  Syrian Military Launch Airstrike Killing 21

   by VOA News

   A Britain-based watchdog group says Syria has launched an air strike on
   a northern town, killing 21 people and wounding 100 more.

   The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Syrian military aircraft
   dropped barrel bombs Saturday on the northern city of al-Bab, a
   stronghold of the Islamic State, the jihadist group that has seized
   control of large parts of Syria and Iraq.

   Barrel bombs are unsophisticated, but deadly improvised weapons
   consisting of explosives packed into canisters or oil drums and topped
   off with fuel and metal shards. Without any guidance system, the bombs
   kill arbitrarily as they are rolled out of helicopters as the aircraft
   passes over presumed rebel positions.

   Since the start of the U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State in
   both Syria and Iraq, rebel commanders have warned that the government
   of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would see the American intervention
   as permission to increase the ferocity of his own its offensive against
   opponents.

   The Syrian Observatory is urging the United Nations to refer the Assad
   air offensive to the International Criminal Court for an investigation
   into possible crimes against humanity.

   Material for this report came from AFP, and Reuters.
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   ing-21/2513689.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-military-launch-airstrike-killing-21/2513689.html