The first explosion took place in the Syrian village of Sousian about eight kilometers north of Al-Bab in Aleppo Province, Reuters reported. The blast occurred in a particularly dense public area.

According to Anadolu Agency, at least 60 people were killed and 100 injured in the car bombing. At least 41 injured civilians have been transferred to a hospital in Kilis Province, southeastern Turkey on the border with Syria, Anadolu added, citing sources.

Six rebels were among those killed, Reuters reports, citing sources in the region, who said a car bomb was used in the attack.

A second car bomb exploded in the same village some time later, AP reported, citing the Aleppo Media Center and Thiqa News agency, media platforms operated by activists. The explosion left eight people dead, it added.

The incidents follow the Turkish military's announcement that Al-Bab had been liberated from IS in a joint operation with armed anti-government rebels. The operation began in August 2016.

• Immunity for IDF soldiers legislation being considered by Israel, a license to kill without prosecution...ever
• The mask is off: Human Rights Watch says Israeli officials back shoot-to-kill policy of Palestinian suspects

Most of the media has singled out for attention President Putin's claim the decision to send the Admiral Kuznetsov to join the fight in Syria originated with him.

Whilst that is no doubt true, Putin does not say that he took this decision entirely unprompted; nor does he say that he did not consult widely before making the decision, or that the naval staff opposed it.

What is actually more interesting is what President Putin had to say about the reasons why the Admiral Kuznetsov was sent to the coast of Syria

When I was formulating this task to the Minister and the Chief of the General Staff, I proceeded from several considerations. First, the aircraft carrier has been in the Armed Forces since 1991, and has always pursued, it seems, tasks related to training and demonstration. For this reason, the industry was instructed with the task to properly prepare it and to create a corresponding aviation wing. That is how the final version of the MiG-29 appeared.

You spoke about the difficulties you encountered as you carried out the combat mission. I thought that those difficulties would arise, and that you would have to overcome them. And you have done all that.

The task was difficult and complex. I am glad that you coped with all of its elements, and this is undoubtedly a good step towards the development of the Russian Navy in all its parts.

As it happens - and as Putin hints in his comments to the carrier's officers - the Admiral Kuznetsov did experience multiple teething problems during its deployment. Two aircraft - a MiG-29 and an SU-33 - were both lost because of problems with arrestor cables, and it seems that during the deployment some of the carrier's aircraft had to be redeployed to Khmeimim air base and actually carried out many of their sorties against the Jihadis fighters from there.

The point is that by deploying the carrier for the first time operationally the Russians have now identified these problems, and can put them right.