Russian airstrikes kill 5 in Syria's de-escalation zone

By Esref Musa, Burak Karacaoglu

IDLIB, Syria (AA) – Five civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes Sunday in northwestern Syria, in areas which fall under a de-escalation zone, according to local sources.

Syrian opposition aircraft monitors said Russian warplanes struck the city of Maarat al-Numan and the towns of Talmenes, Alteh and Aldier Alsharki.

Sources with the White Helmets civil defense agency said three people were killed in Talmenes and two in Aldier Alsharki from the attacks.

Over 1,300 civilians have been killed in the Idlib de-escalation zone despite a deal reached by Ankara and Moscow in September 2018.

Over a million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border following intense attacks.

Since the eruption of the bloody civil war in Syria in 2011, Turkey has taken in over 3.6 million Syrians who fled their country, making Turkey the world’s top refugee-hosting country.