Syria activists say 4 civilians killed in intense airstrikes

Russian and Syrian warplanes pounded targets in central and northern Syria, killing at least four civilians Sunday as ground troops battled insurgents and seized new territory, activists and the government say.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and activist news platform Syrian Revolution Talbiseh say warplanes believed to be Russian targeted mourners at a funeral in Homs province’s al-Ghanto village, killing four civilians. Homs-based activist Bebars al-Telawy say the civilians were burying a man who died from wounds sustained a day earlier when the planes struck.

Al-Ghanto, the town of Talbiseh and other areas north of the city of Homs were pounded with more than a dozen airstrikes today, including government helicopters dropping barrel bombs in the village of Ter Maela, the activists say.

The state-news agency SANA reported army troops began a ground offensive in the area.

— AP