only on al jazeera america. ♪ saudi arabia demands annd to russian air strooikdz inside syria saying they are causing civilian casualties. legal 0 this is al jazeera live from doha. also ahead, heavy street battles in the city of kunduz as afghan government forces try to regain control of areas captured by the taliban. the future of the oslo peace acords is up in the area after abbas says they are no longer boweled bu them . >> i am adrian reporting from

china's far west where they are preparing to mark a sensitive anniversary but not everyone will be celebrating. >> we begin with syria cher russia is conducting a second dav of airstrikes. news channels are reporting russian jets have carried out at least 30 air raids targeting rebel positions. saudi arabia has criticized the russians a, saying they have caused civilian casualties while failing to hit isil targets. the u.s. which is also conducting aerial bombardment in syria have agreed to talks as soon as possible to avoid clashing with russia's air campaign. we all want syria, democratic, syria, a home for all ethnic and

confessional groups whose rights are guaranteed but we have some differences as for the details on how to get there. >> we agreed on the imperative of as soon as possible, perhaps even as soon as tomorrow, but as soon as possible, having a military to military deconfliction discussion, meeting, conference, whichever, whatever can be done as soon as possible. >> russia has been a long time ally of assad. they are questioning moscow's intentions, roslyn jordan explains. >> russian fighter jets flying around homms satisfying it was targeting isil fighters. president vladimir put insaid he was committed to helping his long time ally defeat the group.

we will support the syrian army against terrorist groups. secondly the support will be from the air without participation in grounds operations and, third, such support will be limited in time as long as the syrian army is on offensive. >> the airstrike started one day after u.s. and russian military leaders agreed to hold so-called deconflict oich deconfliction talks as they both go after isil. instead of talks, what the u.s. got on wednesday was a verbal notice one hour before the russian jets took off the defense secretary was not pleased. >> fighting isil without a parallel transition only risks escalating the civil war in syria with it, the extremism

moscow claims to be concerned about. >> approach is tantamount, as i said this, to pouring gasoline on the fire. >> carter said he wasn't surprised given the russians' receipt build up of helicopter did, fighter jets and troops at the air bass in latakia. the obama administration has long suspected russia of doing so to help assad win a long-running civil war. at the united nations, the secretary of state warned russia not to use isil as an excuse to keep al assad in power. >> assad has rarely chosen himself to fight as ill. as the terrorists made inroads throughout large swaths of syria and iraq raping and, enslaving and murdering civilians along the way, the syrian regime didn't try to stop them. instead, it focused all of its military power on moderate opinion zipings groups fighting for a voice in syria.

>> it's not clear what it will do if future russian airstrikes go not after isil fighters but instead after the fighters opposed to bash arrearal assad. >> let's take a closer look at the russian targets inside syria. russia had a naval base in tartus and expanded military presence there in 2008. recently, deployed planes, tanks and marines to an air field near latakia. wild while on wednesday, it said it flew 20 missions targeting eight isil positions. most are in syria. the syrian opposition said bombs were dropped in homs and latakia and focused on command posts not held by isil. if it falls to the opposition, damascus could be separated from the assad-held west and tartus and latakia. syrian opposition leader

said strikes have killed 36 civilians. >> they are intervening to prolong the life of bashar al-assad and support the killing of civilians. >> suliman is from the syrian civil defense. he joins us by skype from istanbul. thank you for being on al jazeera. the russian defense ministry said operations in syria are targeting isil positions but your organizations say civilians have been the target did. >> our organization has responded yesterday in the northern countryside of homs to the following attacks. there istacks on dakarani. it targeted a public market. another attack happened on the talbisa city and the attack targeted a building where there is bread distribution point.

the third attack targeted a restaurant and civilians' homes. another attack happened in a family in hama and targeted civilian homes. it's not only that the area has no isis. it has the no military basis of any kind. >> how do you know that the russians, these airstrikes were the russian airstrikes? >> well, for starter, it was different network. through spotter networks using the sight of eye, we are familiar with how the regime aircrafts look. this is a different look, airstrike, aircraft. also, the destructive power is way more large. and one important thing is that our -- we have a monitoring

center that was able to actually record conversation in russian between the aircraft and the airport in the second day of operations, the second day of air strieningdz there. how bad has it been for civilians? >> well, it's way worse than before. civilians has established sort of a warning system where when they think there is a bombing coming towards them they tend to hide in other areas in the basements and outside. they are fleeing in huge number to the fields around the city. the basements are no more safe because the bombing is stronger than before. the bombing has led to the destruction of a whole neighborhood of 60 homes in one attack. so civilians are in panic. civil defense is trying to

evacin a safe way to safer areas if we can say there is safer areas. >> how do you see the russian involvement impacting the war in syria going forward? >> well, it's definitely supporting whoever against the civilians inside syria. so, the did i feel defense condemn all sort of civilian targeted attacks that happens on the syria ground or outside. so, the russian involvement in syria has not been anything else but help to those. the regime and the area, itself, russia targeted yesterday is actually besieged by isil. it's by sieged by the south and the west and the east and the northern east. so those people have been fighting the regime and fighting isis. they were fighting isis for the last three months where they started to invade the area.

so russia is giving just a great favor to the forces. >> thank you very much for your time. thanks for speaking to us, representative of the syrian civil defense joining us there from istanbul. thank you. >> united nations refugee agency says it expects 1.4 million refugees to flee to europe this year and next year. the unhcr had put the figure at 850,000 people. most of the refugees are escaping violence in the middle east, making their way to europe by the mediterranean sea. the agency said these numbers could rise even further. heavy fighting in kunduz between the talibantable and the afghan ar more than 300 injured. meanwhile in the afghan capitol, kabul, people have been protesting against the taliban

incursion in kunduz. hundreds waived banners against the taliban and expressed support for security forces. president ghani's government has been criticized for its response. let's bring in al jazeera kaiser jimi about 130 kilometers from kunduz. tell us about what you are hearing about what the situation in kunduz is now. who is in control city? >> heavy fighting is going on. it's getting worse every. we are hearing both sides are using artillery and heavy machineguns and targeting civilians. we are hearing taliban are hiding afternoon the center in an area, also, in other part of the north we are getting reports of some acheesement taliban are having that they have captured a

district they have captured another district in bacalun province where we are. so, it looks like this fighting going to continue for a long time now. >> what's the impact on civilians, taiz? >> suchltians are telling us both sides are targeting them the american foshsz now involved in the ground. civilian hospitals are complaining the shortage of staff and, also, medical. civilians also having shortage of food. so now, the only that we can see, the strongest victim is civilians. >> taiz thank you very much. reporting there live from

northern afghanistan. at symbolic movement has been overshadowed by abbas's declaration. he saor diplomatic editor james bays reports. >> raised for the first time at the united nations. the flag of the state of palestine following a decision by the u.n. general assembly observer states, there are two, pallet stein and the holy see i hope a success for a peace processes will soon yield when we unfurl the palestinian flag

in its proper place among the family of nations as a sovereign member state of the united nations (applause.) >> in his speech to the general assembly president abbas put all of the blame otisitsis. he said he needed to raise the alarm about recent violence which he said was caused by israeli incursions around the mosque and told the chamber as israel had not been abiding by the oslo accord signed 22 years ago, he, now, wouldn't do so either. they leave us know choice but to insist we will not remain the only ones committed to the implementation of these agreements while israel could not wutsly violates them. we therefore declare that we cannot continue to be bound by these agreements and israel must assume all of its responsibilities as an occupying power. >> is this the bombshell he said

he would drop or an independent empty promise? there are more questions than answers. how will it change the way his palestinian authority work. what will be the reaction there and in gaza. ays spoke to an official from hamas? >> just words. just a speech because all of the time you are talking about the palestinian state, two state solution, peace process previous negotiation. reaching a conclusion all of these things were being lies, illusion. >> the israeli palestinian conflict will remain in the u.n. spotlight >> the israel prime minister was quick to respond to the u.n. speech. his office said it was deceit

full. saying we expect them to act responsibly and accede to the proposal of the prime minister of israel. >> plenty more ahead on al jazeera including we travel to the heartland of turkish erdouan support to see if he can pull off his second attempt at securing a majority plus for the first time, a war crimes trial destroying precious cultural heritage. ♪ >> every saturday night. >> i lived that character. >> go one on one with america's movers and shakers. >> we will be able to see change. >> gripping... inspiring... entertaining. no topic off limits. >> 'cause i'm like, "dad, there are hookers in this house". >> exclusive conversations you won't find anywhere else. >> these are very vivid, human stories. >> if you have an agenda with people, you sometimes don't see

the truth. >> "talk to al jazeera". saturday, 6:00 eastern. only on al jazeera america.

welcome back. watching al jazeera live from doh. top stories, russia has conducted a second day of airstrikes in syria. saudi arabia has criticized the russian raids saying it has caused civilian casualties. heavy fighting from kunduz between the taliban and the afghan army. the talltable have retaken some areas they lost overnight to government forces backed by nato. declaring no longer bound by the oslo israel. >> voters in turkey go to the polls on november 1st for the second time in five months. the ruling ack party failed to w win.

they will try to win again or face the prospects of coalition with bitter rivals. towns like zakara prospered over the last 13 years. restaurant owner is typical of the business owners who credit the liberal economic policies of the ruling ack party for their success. >> i voted for the ack party because i am happy with their services. isn't they didn't come back on the last election, i would have to be the first that season in 13 years. there was shopper shock that it failed to win a parliamentae majority june. store owner reflects the belief

of many that there has been a defendant campaign to hurt the party. the party lost votes over corruption stories made up as if the president, his son, his ministers would steal. we didn't believe any of this nonsense. >> there is a loyal core of voters who believe the party reflects their conservative religious views. >> i vote for the ack party because there is no better option. we have a prize person ruling us free of reliming oun. >> the akp won 57% of the vote in june. here and nationally, the party has perhaps the best organized

grassroots. turkish construction workers kidnapped in iraq neil a month ago are home with their families. they were abducted from a stadium they were building on the outs skirts of baghdad. they were released after the u.n. agreed to a deal to free rebels supported by turkey? >> i am reunited with my family. that's all i wanted. thanks a lot to our statesman. that's all i can say. yes think about myself. i thought about my family. we were always longing and

yearning. they treated us well where they kept us. we didn't have any problems. we were released because of the government. we are very thank you very much. >> there has been another explosion in a town nusouthern china a day after a series of parcel bomb blasts. the latest was in an apartment. no injuries are record o went several were reported a hospital and prison. police have ruled out terrorism and have identified a 33-year-old local man as a suspect. they say he wanted to take revenge on society. >> chul easy people are celebrating national day today. more than 50,000ed the family commemorat commemorates. it's parted of after 7-day

holiday known as golden week. another key date is being commemorated in the far west of china. people in xin jiang are marking the 60th anniversary. a top rinked during the weigur heartland. as adrian brown reports, not everyone is celebrating. >> it was a low key celebration held indoors, the great of x xin jiang. a senior government official told the assembled guests that the region's stability was being threatened by violent groups. they were the common enemy of all xin jiang's people. >> we must make a firm fist to strike proceed actively and resolute lee crack down on violent terrorist actities according to the law. >> in kashkar, celebrations were

more muted and non-existented in this nearby village. people we met here. >> when i first saw solids, i was so young. i was so scared i cried. >> but she said her life is far better now. leave was hard before. >> talking to foreign journalists carries risks and so none wanted to give their names. this man complains of discrimination by hahn chinese. >> by boss was hahn but he stopped hiring people after those attacks carried out by us weigurs. >> the government i hope sits weigurs and hahn chinese are treated equally but rules ban

weigurs from wearing beards and women covering their face. they have little to celebrate say exiled leaders. >> it represents occupation, l colonization, repress. they will be forced to participate in festive tee that celebrate china's national day. they have no choice. >> the police road blocks reflect the official nervousness. it follows a series of attacks notice renalon including one a week ago. the government blames groups that wanted independent weigur homeland. >> chinese government appears to have a twin strat zee: could not the campaper against those groups it blames for much of the recent violence while at the same time promoting them area.

this region is very strategic t the size of western europe but with a population of the just 11 million and bordering eight countries. the government denies repressing it weiger culture. they made up 90% of xin jiang's population. some worry the silly road project will lead to even more hahn chinese settlers so altering the balance still further. adrian brown, al jazeera, kashkar. >> the first case of its kind, a tribesman from mali has gone on trial at the international communal court accused of war crimes by destroying i want o sites including a mosque in the ancient city of timbucktu. >> this man is accused of

destroying heritage. he listened to the charges and identified himself. i am from the tuareg tribe. i was born about 40 years ago in aguni, a graduate of the teachers' institute in timbuktu and i was in education in the mali government beginning in 20s 11. >> it was in 2012 that the rebels with links to al-qaeda occupied the fabledty of timbuktu. they set about destroying a number of tools and mofkdz which offended their own strict interpretation of islam. hundreds of years of history smashed into dust. according to the prosecutor he was a zellous mer member. he could be the first to be tried for war crimes against

buildings and culture but they hope they will examine other actions by him. >> we do believe it's very important for the office of the prosecutor of the international criminal court to take into account the credible evidence that's been provided within the national system about these further scopes of crimes. >> timbuktu, in its day a center of islamic learning suffered badly during the occupation. he will next appear in court in january, 2016. the icc hopes that the case against him might deter others who destroyed cultural treasures in other parts of the world. barnaby phillips, al jazeera. >> a sink hole opened up in saint albin outside of london. the crater spread across a front

garden and driveway 10 meters deep. several families had to be evacuated from their homes during the night. fire and rescue services say a small hole and in the road a few days ago. but a leak in water main is sta thought to have created the sink hole. resources of russian airstrikes in syria as the u.s. warns moscow against esc lating the 4-year conflict. residents in already flooded parts of the east coast brace for a major category 3 hurricane as joachin bears down on the bahamas. israel is expected to respond to the palestinian leader's accessizations that the