Russian Helicopter Shot Down in Syria, Killing Five on Board

#Russia claims that the helicopter was delivering aid to Aleppo, where Russian and Syrian government forces are now besieging rebel forces.

A Russian military helicopter was shot down, killing all five people onboard near the Syrian city of Aleppo.

“There were three crew members and two officers from the Russian reconciliation centre in Syria on board”.

Images on social media purportedly taken at the scene of the crash showed a dead body stripped of clothing being dragged through the dirt near the wreckage.

The group, also known as the “White Helmets”, released video showing what it said were several victims lying on what appeared to be rudimentary hospital beds, breathing through masks and hooked up to IV drips. The government rejected the claim and accused the rebels of using chemical weapons themselves.

In neighbouring Aleppo province, the Fateh Al Sham Front and allied rebel groups were fighting fierce battles on Monday against regime troops on the outskirts of Aleppo city. He said the al-Qaida linked Nusra Front spearheaded the offensive. The crash killed all five Russian soldiers on board, constituting the largest loss of Russian life since Russia’s intervention in Syria in September 2014.

The downing of the Russian helicopter near Saraqeb just hours before the alleged gas attack was the deadliest incident for Russian forces since they got directly involved in the conflict.

Fighting has raged in and near Aleppo for more than two months.

CNN has not been able to independently verify the claims. A humanitarian crisis looms in eastern Aleppo as the government siege essentially cut the area off from the rest of the country. The Russian military says 169 civilians have left through the corridors since they were set up, but Syrian opposition activists say no civilians have left besieged parts of the city. He said 82 militants had also laid down their weapons.

The U.N.’s special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura warned on Friday that basic supplies in eastern Aleppo could run out in three weeks.

The fierce fighting around Aleppo coincided with the passing of an August 1 deadline for a United Nations -supported process to start a political transition in Syria.

Elsewhere in Aleppo province, the Syrian Democratic Forces, a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance, advanced inside the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group bastion of Manbij on Monday, the Observatory reported.

Russian Federation says it has prepared 14 tons of humanitarian cargo for those who leave the city, with 2.5 tons of food and other essentials already supplied.

Kerry said the government’s attacks had prevented the warring parties from meeting for negotiations on Monday, the target date set for the regime and opposition forces to agree on the framework of a political transition.

Monday’s helicopter downing brought the official Russian casualty toll to 19, 16 of whom were killed in enemy fire.