on Syria have killed nearly 1,400 civilians since Moscow started its aerial campaign nearly four months ago , a group monitoring the war said on Saturday . The Britain - based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , which collects information from a network of sources on the ground , said the Russian strikes had also killed 965 Islamic State fighters as well as 1,233 fighters from various other insurgent groups . The main Syrian opposition group heading to Geneva peace talks on Saturday has demanded a halt to a joint Russian and Syrian bombing campaign they say targets mostly civilians in rebel held areas as a pre - condition for engaging in talks with the Syrian government .
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said efforts were being made to track down alleged violations but that there was currently no evidence to suggest it would destabilize the fragile peace . The cessation deal does not include jihadist groups such as Islamic State and the al Qaeda - linked Nusra Front and Russia , which is backing the Syrian government with air power , has made clear it intends to keep bombing those groups . Kerry said at a news conference in Washington that he agreed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to intensify work on a mechanism to ensure any strikesconflict.attack.bombingin Syria solely target Islamic State or Nusra Front . An aide to Saudi Arabia 's defense minister said on Monday , that defense ministers from the U.S .- led coalition against Islamic State had discussed the possibility of a Syrian ground incursion two weeks ago in Brussels . " It was discussed at the political level but it was n't discussed as a military mission , " Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told Reuters .
The monitor -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type , location , flight patterns and the munitions involved . Asked about the Al - Tukhar strike , the US - led coalition said it had " conducted air strikes near Manbij ... recently " and that it was looking into the reports alleging civilian casualties . " As with any allegation we receive , we will review any information we have about the incident ... such as the proximity of the location " to coalition air strikesconflict.attack.bombing, it wrote in an email to AFP . " We take all measures during the targeting process to avoid or minimise civilian casualties or collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict . " Al - Tukhar lies 14 kilometres ( nine miles ) north of the town of Manbij , a key IS stronghold that has been repeatedly targeted in raids by the US - led coalition .
Russian planes have hammered rebels and rebel - held areas since September in a clear effort to shore - up President Bashar Assad 's beleaguered military , which had been losing ground to the opposition prior to Moscow 's intervention . Russia insists it chooses its targets carefully to avoid civilian casualties , but rescuers on the ground , human rights groups , and Western governments have all chastized Moscow for bombarding crowded public places in opposition territory since its campaign in Syria began . The U.S. says Russia 's strikesconflict.attack.bombinguse far less precise weaponry than the missiles launched by the American - led coalition fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ( ISIS ) . Both sides , however , have been accused of killing civilians .
Such remarks are unacceptable and Moscow is disappointed to hear " new typically U.S. claims for being a global judge " , Ryabkov said in comments to Interfax news agency published on Saturday . Referring to a resolution on Syria proposed by France for debate at the United Security Council later on Saturday , he said : " Unfortunately , we see less and less common sense in the actions of Washington and Paris " . The draft resolution demands an end to air strikesconflict.attack.bombingand military flights over Aleppo . Moscow has already said this draft is unacceptable . ( Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov ; editing by John Stonestreet )
Related : Russia Denies ' War Crimes ' After Hospitals and Schools Were Bombed in Syria The spokesperson said that due to " operational security , " they could not confirm details about ground operations involving the Syrian Democratic Forces , a predominantly Kurdish alliance that also counts Arab forces in its ranks . But Abdulrahman said the coalition strikesconflict.attack.bombingclearly coincided with fighting this week between Kurdish troops and Islamic State in Hasakah governorate . The Russian military has been criticized for killing civilians in large numbers in Syria , a claim it denies . At least 200 civilians were killed in just six attacks in Homs , Idlib , and Aleppo governorates between September and November , according to Amnesty International , while one Syrian rights group says more than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Russian warplanes since the start of its campaign .
The United States has called on Assad to step down but has refrained from directly targeting his forces . Communication between the United States and Russian militaries on Syria has been limited to contacts aimed at avoiding an accidental clash as they carry out separate bombing campaigns and small numbers of U.S. forces operate on the ground . Although no U.S. forces were in the area at the time of Thursday 's strikesconflict.attack.bombing, the U.S. military activated the emergency communications channels with Moscow to tell Russia to stop striking the area , the official said . Some time passed after that communication but Russia carried out a subsequent strike , the U.S. official said . Carter suggested either Moscow struck the fighters intentionally or faced significant intelligence gaps .
( CNN ) Regime airstrikes on a school complex in northwestern Syria killed at least 35 people , including 20 children , the Syria Civil Defense volunteer rescue group said , in what could be one of the deadliest strikes yet on a school in the nation 's five - year war , according to the UN . The death toll is expected to rise as dozens of others were injured in the Wednesday attacks , said Majd Khalaf , a communications officer with the rescue group , also known as the White Helmets . Another rescuer told the activist - run SMART News Agency that around 50 children were leaving the front door when the strikesconflict.attack.bombinghit . An abandoned classroom after it was hit with airstrikes on Wednesday in the Syrian village of Hass . The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights blamed the strikes on the Syrian regime and Russia , but it is generally difficult to distinguish between Syrian and Russian jets .
“ If you [ Al - Nusra ] did decide to leave , in dignity with your weapons , to Idlib or anywhere you wanted to go , I personally am ready , physically ready , to accompany you , ” he said . De Mistura , warned that East Aleppo might be destroyed within two months if the military action in the city continues . Russia and the Syrian government have come under intense criticism from the US in recent days over the strikesconflict.attack.bombingin Aleppo . On Friday , US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the Russian and Syrian governments ' actions in Syria " beg for an appropriate investigation of war crimes . " He alleged that Moscow and Damascus have been “ hitting hospitals , medical facilities , ” in the war - ravaged country .
Nusra has called for redoubled attacks . Moscow and Damascus say they will continue to fight them , and other rebels say they fear this stance may be used to justify attacks against them too . The truce is the culmination of new diplomatic efforts that reflect a battlefield dramatically changed since Russia joined the war in September with air strikesconflict.attack.bombingto prop up Assad . Moscow 's intervention effectively destroyed the hope his enemies have maintained for five years -- encouraged by Arab and Western states -- to topple him by force . REPORTS OF VIOLENCE
Rescue workers and rights groups say Russia 's bombing in Syria has killed scores of civilians at busy market places and in residential areas . Russia denies this . The Kremlin launched its air strikesconflict.attack.bombingsaying it wanted to help Assad , its main Middle East ally , defeat Islamic State and other militant groups . " We are not convinced of what the Russian intentions are , " the official said on condition of anonymity . " For a while , very few strikes were going against ISIL and after a lot of public condemnation they turned a number of strikes against ISIL , " the official said , referring to Islamic State , the militant group that controls territory in Syria and Iraq .