U.S.-led airstrikes kill 43 civilians in Syria's Raqqa: state TV

U.S.-led airstrikes targeted a residential building in Syria's northern city of Raqqa, killing 43 civilians, state TV reported on Saturday.

The airstrikes targeted the al-Jamili building in Raqqa, said the TV, adding that most of those killed were women and children.

The rate of civilian causalities by U.S.-led airstrikes has increased recently as a result of the intensification of U.S. airstrikes on Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) group, and other IS strongholds in northern and eastern Syria.

A day earlier, 20 civilians were killed when a U.S.-led airstrike targeted residential buildings in Raqqa, including a hospital and a hotel.

Last Sunday, 20 civilians were killed by similar airstrikes in Raqqa.

Last Thursday, 35 civilians were killed by airstrikes on IS-held city of Mayadeen in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.

The Syrian government has repeatedly denounced the attacks targeting civilians, branding the operation of the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition in Syria as "illegitimate."

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)