Nine Killed in Syrian Army Airstrike on School in Aleppo

In a report denied by Syrian army sources, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights states that at least nine people, including five children, were killed during an airstrike by the army on a school in Aleppo. Reuters, citing this London-based group, reported that the airstrike occurred on Sunday, April 23, at the Jamil al-Qabbani school in Syria's second-largest city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that casualties from this attack are expected to rise, with two women among the deceased. Aleppo, located in northern Syria about 50 kilometers from the Turkish border, is jointly controlled by government forces and armed rebels. However, a source in the Syrian army told Reuters that while the army has intensified attacks on rebel-controlled areas, it has not targeted civilians. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights further reported that just a day earlier, 32 people were killed in Aleppo, 17 of whom died in the Suleiman neighborhood due to rebel shelling, while 15 others were killed in another airstrike by the army on a market. The latest estimates from the United Nations indicate that the death toll from the Syrian crisis over the past four years has exceeded 220,000. Reports indicate that Syria is currently divided into four parts, with one part, including Damascus (the capital), still under the control of Bashar al-Assad's government, while the other three parts are held by opposition groups, primarily consisting of Kurds, the al-Nusra Front, the Islamic State (ISIS), and other factions. Meanwhile, the Free Syrian Army has criticized the United States regarding the conditions for selecting participants in military training programs. The Free Syrian Army was one of the first armed opposition groups formed by Syrian military personnel who refused to participate in the suppression of popular protests against Assad. The United States had previously stated that it would train 'moderate Syrian armed opposition,' but the Free Syrian Army claims that the U.S. has not invited military groups inside Syria to these training sessions. According to Al Arabiya, the group criticized the U.S. plan, stating that Washington is 'focused on the war against the Islamic State and indifferent to the core issue, which is the Assad regime.' The Free Syrian Army added that the U.S. has also not called important military groups inside Syria that have demonstrated capability in fighting against ISIS and the Assad regime to the military training sessions. These military courses are set to begin on April 15 (April 26) and will teach the opposition the use of light and medium weapons, as well as some communication devices. Al Arabiya added that 'according to the opposition, such equipment will not provide the necessary advantage for the opposition against the fully armed ISIS.'