Russia releases new footage of a fresh round of airstrikes

The Russian Defence Ministry released aerial footage of the incident, claiming that the attack took place in northern Syria, without being more specific on its location.

The mass ranks of oil delivery lorries are shown parked in a disorderly manner with only a few people appearing to be caught up in the attack.

The aerial footage shows great clouds of dark smoke billowing from a large number of trucks following one of the deadly strikes.

It is unclear whether the tankards were being operated by ISIS supporters or by other rebel groups.

Russia has repeatedly targeted 'moderate' and Islamist linked rebel groups across northern Syria, claiming to be only targeting ISIS positions.

Putin's decision to intervene in Syria on 30 September came at a key time when the Assad regime was suffering heavy losses following fall of Idlib to a rebel coalition including Jabhat al-Nusra. 

With the help of Russian airstrikes, Assad forces have managed to re-claim some ground from rebel forces. 

Russian airstrikes are also thought to be responsible for the death of Jaysh al-Islam's leader Zahran Alloush, who was killed yesterday in eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.

His death appeared to halt the planned evacuation of some 4,000 people, half of them jihadists, from the southern districts of Damascus Saturday.

The plan was to see the evacuees transferred out of Qadam, Hajar al-Aswad and the besieged Palestinian camp of Yarmuk and into northern Syria, according to a government official.

Those moved are expected to include members of the Islamic State (IS) group and Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front.

But a security source close to the negotiations told AFP the plan was now on hold.

'Jaish al-Islam was supposed to provide safe passage through areas east of Damascus for the buses heading to Raqa,' IS's Syria bastion, the source said by telephone. 

'About 1,200 people were supposed to leave today (Saturday), but the death of Zahran Alloush means we are back to square one,' he said.

He said buses standing by to transfer the evacuees had left empty and 'the plan was on hold until Jaish al-Islam reorganises itself'.

The deal came after two months of intense talks between government and district leaders, he said.

Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with anti-government protests but has spiralled into a multi-sided civil war across the country.

In northern Syria on Saturday, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab groups seized the key Tishreen Dam from IS on the Euphrates River, as well as seven villages on the river's eastern bank.

Syrian Democratic Forces spokesman Talal Sello told AFP dozens of IS fighters had been killed.

The SDF can now cross into IS-controlled territory along the river's western bank, bringing it less than 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Manbij, an IS stronghold.

(dailymail.co.uk)