Five children among the slain; toll is expected to rise

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the US-led coalition has killed at least 14 civilians in airstrikes against ISIS-held territory. The victims included at least five children. The nationality of the warplanes is unclear.

In general though, US warplanes have been the most active in this area among the coalition. The strikes targeted ISIS-held towns of Hajin and Sousa. Nine ISIS members were reported killed in the same series of strikes.

The overall death toll, particularly among civilians, is expected to rise, as a number of people were gravely wounded in the course of these strikes, and the tiny ISIS-held territory naturally has limited access to medicine.

The US has been trying to back a Kurdish invasion of this territory, but with limited success. The Kurds have had to back off, to focus on defending against invading Turkish forces, while ISIS has been inflicting growing casualties.