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Turkey condemns Russian airstrikes against "civilians" in Syria

Xinhua, January 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday condemned recent Russian military operations in Syria, saying they targeted civilian areas.

"I condemn fiercely Russia's attacks against civilian residential units in Syria, which killed women, children and elders without making distinction. They are not humane," the minister told the state-run Anadolu Agency.

The minister said nearly 30 children and teachers were killed in a Russian military operation against three schools this week in western Aleppo.

Moscow, earlier, dismissed accusations of striking civilian targets in Syria.

Russia has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria since Sept. 30 in a bid to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. Turkey argues that the Russian airstrikes are not targeting mainly Islamic State (IS), but moderate Syrian opposition.

Turkey and Russia are at odds since Turkish warplanes downed a Russian jet on Nov. 24 near the Syrian border claiming it violated Turkish airspace.

The Syria-Turkey relations have hit the bottom since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011. Turkey blames Assad for prolonging the crisis, while Damascus accuses Ankara of facilitating the flow of foreign jihadists into Syria. Endit