Regime attacks kill 6 in Syria’s de-escalation zones

By Esref Musa and Burak Karacaoglu

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - At least six civilians were killed and 12 others injured in fresh regime attacks on de-escalation zones in northwestern Syria, according to local sources on Sunday.

Regime forces launched airstrikes and artillery shelling on the towns of Khan Shaykhun, Ma'ar Shoreen, Al-Tamanah, Sukayk, Babeela and Abu Habba in the Idlib province, the sources said on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

The attacks also targeted the towns of Ltamenah and Qastoun in the Hama province.

According to the sources, six people were killed in the attacks in Qastoun.

Turkey and Russia agreed last September to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

The Syrian regime, however, has consistently broken the terms of the ceasefire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected severity.