Syrian regime, Russia attacks kill 7 civilians in Idlib

By Esref Musa

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - Seven civilians were killed in attacks Thursday by the Assad regime and Russia in northwestern Syria, in an area supposed to be under a cease-fire, according to local sources.

Syrian opposition aircraft monitors said four civilians were killed in a regime airstrike in Maar Shamshah and three others in a Russian airstrike on the village of Alteh, both in the Idlib province, the site of a de-escalation zone.

According to the monitors, regime warplanes also targeted the villages of Telmenes, Al-Deir Al-Sharqi, Al-Bara, Maasran, Jarjanaz, Al-Tamanah, and Kansafra.

On Wednesday, regime airstrikes in Maarat Al-Numan, Idlib killed 10 civilians including five children and injured at least 23 others, according to a source with the Syrian civil defense agency, known as the White Helmets.

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

Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib would remain in areas where they were already present, while Russia and Turkey would carry out joint patrols in the area to prevent a resumption of fighting.

The Syrian regime and its allies, however, have consistently broken the terms of the cease-fire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.

Turkey has raised the alarm over the continued attacks in Idlib and their threat to civilian populations.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat