Russia restarts bombing campaign in Syria

Russia launched renewed air strikes in northern Syria today hours after President Vladimir Putin spoke with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump about the need for cooperation in the fight against extremism. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the bombings targeted Islamic State (ISIS) and the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda. Observers on the ground said the strikes hit eight neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo and killed 10 people, but Russia insisted it only targeted terrorist training camps and ammunitions depots, not civilian areas. Rami Abdurrahman with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the areas hit were strongholds of jihadi groups. President Barack Obama and U.S. allies have tried multiple times and failed to negotiate a lasting ceasefire between rebels in Syria and the Russian-backed government. Russia halted air strikes on Aleppo last month to give rebels a chance to leave the city.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.