国际英语新闻:Amnesty: Russian Airstrikes Killed 200 Civilians in Syria

STATE DEPARTMENT—Amnesty International added to the criticism of Russia's air campaign in Syria with a new report Wednesday saying the bombings have killed at least 200 civilians in Homs, Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

The rights group said the Russian airstrikes have hit homes and hospitals, and that its research showed there were no fighters or military targets nearby.

"Some Russian airstrikes appear to have directly attacked civilians or civilian objects by striking residential areas with no evident military target and even medical facilities, resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians," Amnesty Middle East and North Africa Program Director Philip Luther said. "Such attacks may amount to war crimes."

Amnesty also said it had evidence Russia used banned cluster munitions and unguided bombs.

A Russian defense ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, denied the Amnesty allegations. He said nothing new or concrete was published, "only cliches and fakes that we have already repeatedly exposed."

Syrian campaign

Russia launched a major military air campaign over Syria in late September as part of an effort to support President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has said it is targeting Islamic State, but it has faced widespread criticism that its strikes have focused largely on opposition group sites.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday stepped up his criticism of Russia for targeting civilians sites and moderate opposition fighters.  During a meeting with lawmakers, he condemned what he said were deadly Russian airstrikes Sunday in the rebel-held northwest city of Idlib.

Tensions between Russia and Turkey mounted late last month after Turkey shot down a Russian military jet that Ankara said had strayed into its territory near the Syrian border. Russia denies the charge.

Syrian opposition groups also blamed Russia for the strikes in Idlib, which they said killed more than 40 people, many of them civilians.

A separate U.S.-led coalition, which includes Turkey, has been targeting Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.

In reference to Russia’s alleged responsibility for Sunday’s deadly strikes in Idlib, a senior State Department official said it was not for the U.S. or the U.S. coalition to investigate claims of collateral damage by Russian aircraft.

“The Russians should speak to what they are doing, what they are hitting, what they are missing,” the official said.