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(Image: TWITTER)

White phosphorus is banned under the Geneva Convention because it is highly toxic and can burn through flesh and bone.

It is normally used by armies to light up targets during the night or as a smokescreen during the day.

But shocking images posted on Twitter apparently show the sky full of phosphorus raining down on IS capital Raqqa.

Activists on the ground claim the Russian airstrikes have killed more civilians than jihadi fighters.

(Image: TWITTER)

A Muslim Iraqi Twitter user who “helps innocent civilians”, wrote: “To protect the devil (Syrian President) Assad, #Russianairstrikes using phosphorous bombs”.

Although the photographs haven’t been verified, citizen journalists from the Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently network claimed “that airstrikes targeted Raqqa today with phosphorus”.

The row came as the United States said it was sending a new force of special operations troops to Iraq to conduct raids, free hostages, capture Islamic State leaders and carry out in Syria.

(Image: TWITTER) (Image: TWITTER)

Iraqi troops and militias backed by US-led air strikes yesterday surrounded the key city of Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, and appear poised to launch a new attempt to wrest it from IS.

The battle that is shaping up threatens to turn into a drawn-out siege, with thousands of residents caught in the middle as the forces try to wear down the militants.