18 killed, many wounded in Russian strikes ---Syrian opposition

Airstrikes believed to have been carried out by Russian warplanes killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens Sunday in a north west Syrian town held by insurgents, Syrian opposition media reported.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrikes struck the town of Ariha killing at least 18 and wounding dozens more, reports AP.

The Local Coordination Committees, an activist collective, said the airstrike struck a busy market, inflicting heavy casualties.

The Observatory said the airstrike destroyed three buildings in the center of Ariha.

Ariha Today, a Facebook page that covers events in the town, said the airstrikes were carried out by Russian warplanes killing 40 and wounding more than 70.

If Russian warplanes carried out Sunday’s strikes it would be one of the deadliest incidents since Moscow began its air campaign in the Arab country two months ago. Opposition activists say scores of people have been killed by Russian strikes since the air campaign began on September 30.

An amateur video posted online showed several men being treated on the floor of what appeared to be a clinic. Blood stains could be seen on the floor’s white tiles. On the street outside, the bodies of four men could been seen left on the side. Young men were seen weeping over some dead bodies.

Shortly afterward, an ambulance arrives and a wounded man on a wheel chair was carried into the clinic.

The video appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting of the events.

Russia says its airstrikes are targeting the Islamic State group and other "terrorists,” but Western officials and Syrian rebels say most of the strikes have focused on central and northern Syria, where IS does not have a strong presence.

Syria’s crisis that began in March 2011 has killed more than 250,000 people and wounded more than a million.