Air attacks, shelling kill civilians in Syria’s Raqqa

International coalition air attacks and shelling by US-backed forces have killed at least 18 civilians in Syria’s Raqqa, said a local activist group.

International coalition air attacks and shelling by US-backed forces have killed at least 18 civilians in Syria’s Raqqa, said a local activist group.

Writing on Twitter on Tuesday night, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said the attacks wounded another 50 civilians, adding that the US-led international coalition had carried out at least 41 air attacks in the 48 hours prior.

The activist group said that air attacks and shelling continued overnight in and around Raqqa, the city previously known as the de facto capital of ISIS armed group.

The United States, Russia and Jordan reached a ceasefire and “de-escalation agreement” for parts of Syria this month, which has reduced violence. 

Numerous attempts at a lasting ceasefire in western Syria, where rebels have lost ground to government forces and their allies over the last year, have collapsed with both sides trading the blame.