Aid crosses into Syria as war death toll passes 300,000

Fresh humanitarian aid is on its way to the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo - as the death toll of the five-year civil war is said to have reached 300,000. Around 20 trucks carrying food, children’s clothes and toys crossed into northern Syria from the Turkish border town of Cilvegozu earlier, as the ceasefire appeared to be holding well on its first full day. A Reuters witness reported seeing the vehicles, as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 86,000 civilians were among the 301,781 people killed since the start of the conflict in March 2011. The figure is an increase of nearly 9,000 on the last death toll published by the UK-based monitoring group in early August. The Syrian army has pledged a “regime of calm” across the country, while Russia has said it will continue to target “terrorists”. US forces are also expected to continue the fight against Islamic State in Syria.

Middle East