Russian airstrikes in Syria kill 12 children

ALEPPO, Syria, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- The Russian military is being blamed for an attack on a Syrian school that killed at least 12 children Monday.

Three adults were also killed in the airstrike Monday on a school in rebel-held territory in Ain Jara, about 10 miles north of the city of Aleppo, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. The agency added that in a separate incident, three children died in rocket fire on an Aleppo district held by the Syrian government.

Russian airstrikes on Islamic State and Syrian anti-government targets have been responsible for the deaths of 1,730 civilians since Russian military involvement in Syria began in September, the Syrian National Coalition said. Nearly 100 were killed in airstrikes on the town of Maraat al-Numan on Saturday in Syria's Idlib province. While Russia says its attacks are aimed at the Islamic State, its planes regularly bomb targets in areas not controlled by IS, prompting observers to suggest Russia's mission in Syria is more directed at enemies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.

"Nearly 94 percent of the 12,000 sorties the Russian air force has so far flown in Syria targeted civilians and the Free Syrian Army," the SNC said in a statement.