Renewed regime bombing kills dozens in Aleppo

Dozens of civilians were killed in East Aleppo on Saturday, after barrel bombs and chlorine gas bombs reportedly dropped on residential areas.

Intensified bombing campaigns continued in areas close to the city's old citadel and the city park.

"Dozens of civilians were killed or wounded after Regime barrel bombs and artillery bombardment hit the neighbourhoods near the citadel and Bab Qinnasrin in the old city of Aleppo Paradise, in the east of besieged Aleppo," said Ibrahim Abu Leith, a spokesperson for the Syrian Civil Defence, also referred to as the White Helmets.

"Civil Defense pulled the bodies of an entire family out from under the rubble in the area near the citadel.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that bombing campaigns in Bustan al-Qasr, al-Zebdiyyeh, al-Ferdus killed 24 civilians, including children.

A video showing civilians being treated for chlorine gas inhalation was released today.  The New Arab has not been able to verify the contents of the video.

Regime forces are reported to have lost 25 troops in fighting against rebel fighters in the last twenty-four hours.

Talks on the future of the civil war have resumed with the United States' Secretary of State, John Kerry, currently engaged in discussions with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov in Geneva.

"The indiscriminate bombing by the regime violates rules of law, or in many cases, crimes against humanity, and war crimes," said Kerry.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, is also at the meeting and has spoken of the Syrian opposition's willingness to negotiate without preconditions.

"We need to tie down the conditions for a genuine political transition, and negotiations must resume on a clear basis within the framework of the UN resolution," said Ayrault.

More than 300,000 people have been killed in a civil war which has been raging for more than five years.