Russian air strikes in Syria have killed over 400 civilians since September this year, monitoring groups say.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the death toll from September 30 – when the strikes were launched – until November 20 stood at 403 civilians, a figure that includes 97 children.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), another monitoring group, said at least 526 were killed, including 137 children, since Russia launched its first air strikes.

On Sunday, government air strikes killed at least seven people, including three children, in Douma just outside of the capital Damascus, SOHR said.

At least seven civilians were killed in government air strikes in Aleppo on Saturday, SOHR added.

On Friday, Russia fired cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea for a fourth day against what it described as ISIL targets.

Russian and Syrian officials said their jets hit 50 ISIL targets in Deir Az Zor province, the most intense air raids since Russia began its air strikes. Continue