Deadly Day Of Air Strikes In Syria Leaves Nearly 150 Dead

A deadly day of air strikes in Syryaleaves nearly 150 deads today. In a tragic turn of events, more than 140 people lost their lives in a series of air strikes conducted by the Syrian government and Russian forces within a 24-hour period. The attacks targeted various areas across Syria, with Aleppo city and nearby towns bearing the brunt of the violence.

Aleppo witnessed the loss of at least 80 lives as Russian and regime air strikes pounded the city and its surroundings. Reports from Al Jazeera indicate that approximately 25 areas within Aleppo province were affected by the devastating air raids.

The violence escalated further when Syrian government air strikes targeted a marketplace in Douma, a suburb of Damascus. Sources revealed that at least 61 people lost their lives, and over 100 others sustained injuries in the attack. Douma, situated east of Damascus, has been facing relentless government assaults in recent weeks.

The unfortunate events unfolded amidst a backdrop of heightened violence in Syria. Security forces, in pursuit of anti-government activists and army defectors, claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals. This grim toll added to the overall count, bringing the total casualties to nearly 150 over two days.

As the Syrian regime agreed to allow foreign monitors into the country under an Arab League plan, skepticism lingered among opposition groups. The opposition expressed doubts about the sincerity of the agreement, viewing it as a potential delay tactic amid growing international pressure on President Bashar Assad.

The U.S. responded cautiously, emphasizing the importance of actions over signed agreements. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland stated, "We've seen too many broken promises from the Syrian regime."

The conflict in Syria has taken on an increasingly militarized nature, with frequent clashes between army defectors and government troops. The northern province of Idlib, near the Turkish border, witnessed some of the most intense confrontations, leading to a high number of casualties.

The Arab League's plan for Syria includes the removal of Syrian forces and heavy weapons from city streets, initiation of talks with opposition leaders, and the admission of human rights workers, journalists, and observers into the country. However, the continued violence and skepticism surrounding the regime's commitment cast a shadow over the prospects for peace and stability in the region.

An advance team, led by the Arab League's assistant secretary-general Sameer Seif el-Yazal, is set to arrive in Syria on Thursday to make preparations for an observer mission. The plan involves deploying 500 observers across the country in small groups of at least 10.

Simultaneously, Syria's state television reported that the country's air force, air defense units, and naval forces engaged in military maneuvers involving warplanes, helicopters, surface-to-air, and ground-to-sea missiles. The maneuvers, described as a test of capabilities, included demonstrations of warplanes and helicopters firing missiles at targets in a desert area. Surface-to-air missiles hitting airborne targets were also showcased.

The TV stated that the maneuvers aimed to assess the air force and air defense's ability to repel aggression, emphasizing that the drill was "similar to a real battle." Special forces were shown being deployed from helicopters, and missiles were demonstrated being fired from the ground to the sea.

These maneuvers come on the heels of a similar drill conducted by Syrian forces two weeks prior, possibly intended as a deterrent against international intervention akin to the NATO air campaign that played a role in the removal of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.

President Assad issued a new law addressing the distribution of weapons, particularly in the context of alleged "terrorist acts." According to the state-run newsagency SANA, anyone found guilty of distributing weapons with the aim of committing terrorist acts could now face a death sentence. The Syrian government contends that armed groups and terrorists are responsible for the uprising, dismissing the notion that it is a result of protesters seeking greater freedoms in one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East.

Under the new law, individuals involved in weapons smuggling could be sentenced to 15 years to life imprisonment, while those distributing weapons for terrorist purposes could receive the death penalty.