Although Russia claimed to be targeting terrorism when it launched airstrikes in Syria last month, moderate opposition groups and civilians in their controlled areas were the most affected, even more than Daesh.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Tuesday that its air forces hit 2,084 targets in 1,631 raids, including destroying 52 training camps, 40 improvised explosive device factories and 155 ammunition depots that belong to Daesh and al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front.
On the contrary, since the beginning of the Russian campaign, it launched intense airstrikes against opposition-held areas in Idlib, Hama, Homs and northern Aleppo and on Oct. 14, southern Aleppo was targeted as well.
The Russian airstrikes were carried out simultaneously with Bashar al-Assad regime’s ground offensive in Hama, northern Homs and southern Aleppo, resulting in displacing around 100,000 people who fled their homes to northern areas near the Turkish border.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a Tuesday statement that at least 123,842 people had been displaced between Oct. 5 and Oct. 30 in Aleppo, Hama and Idlib.
The dates mentioned by Dujarric come a few days after the Russian airstrikes started in Sept. 30.
Abo Rashid one of the civilians who had to flee their homes in southern Aleppo told Anadolu Agency that he left Tal Hamir town with his family after it was targeted by Russian warplanes and regime artillery.
“We moved to another safe area south of our town. We started living in homes without windows or doors. Our homes that we left were totally demolished,” Abo Rashid said, adding that only civilians were present and Daesh had no presence in his town.
Since Sept. 30, Russian warplanes have targeted Jisr al-Shughur, Jabal El-Zawiya, Tal El-Sayyad, al-Habit, Tamanah, Nabi Eyup hill and Khan Sheykhun in Idlib, which is under the control of al-Fatah Army.
Russian airstrikes targeted opposition-held Kafr Nabuda, Kafr Zayta and Latamna towns in northwestern Hama. In northern Homs, Talbisej and Rastan districts, as well as the towns of Mukramiya and Zafaraniya, were targeted.
Assad forces, backed by Russian warplanes, attacked opposition-controlled al-Khadir, al-Ays, Tal Daman and Zarba towns in southern Aleppo.
In Damascus, Madaya, Qalamoun and Doma districts were also targeted by Russian warplanes in October.
Despite the Russian airstrikes that support the Syrian regime, opposition forces remained in control of their positions in many areas across the country.
Meanwhile, Daesh used the pressure imposed on opposition groups to wrestle control of more opposition-held areas and became a threat on the Azaz-Marii line in Aleppo. The militant group also managed to take control of many areas that used to be under the regime’s control without any clashes.
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