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Airstrike on Syrian refugee camp kills 28

By Allen Cone
The Local Coordination Committees network said first responders extinguished fires that had erupted in the impact zone. Photo by Local Coordination Committee/Facebook
The Local Coordination Committees network said first responders extinguished fires that had erupted in the impact zone. Photo by Local Coordination Committee/Facebook

SARMADA, Syria, May 5 (UPI) -- At least 28 people were killed when a plane bombed a refugee camp in rebel-held northern Syria on Thursday, monitors and witnesses report.

The Kamounia camp near Sarmada in Idlib province, close to the Turkish border, was destroyed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the United Kingdom-based monitor. The organization said the death toll will likely climb because of the number of seriously injured people.

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It was unclear who had carried out the airstrike, although the BBC said some reports said Syrian or Russian war planes were used.

The Syrian government and rebel forces agreed to a truce around the city of Aleppo this week. A cease-fire has been in effect nationwide since February, but it does not include the Islamic State. There have been more than 300 casualties in and around Aleppo in just the last two weeks.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels went into government-held districts Tuesday night.

The Local Coordination Committees network said first responders helped extinguish fires caused by the airstrike.

The United Nations has warned that if there isn't a truce, it will be "catastrophic" and could send 400,000 more people heading for refuge at the border with Turkey.

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