Syrian regime bombardment of Idlib province kills civilians

Syrian regime bombardment of Idlib province kills civilians
More civilians have died in Syrian regime and Russian bombardments of opposition Idlib province.
2 min read
23 April, 2019
Idlib province has been repeatedly shelled by the Syrian regime [Getty]

At least two civilians were killed and several injured following massive Russian and the Syrian regime bombardments of opposition Idlib province on Monday, activists and monitors have reported.

"An elderly woman Shaha Alhamaden was killed, and four other people were wounded, after a rocket attack by the regime forces targeted Saraqib city for the second time today, with high-explosive missiles, bringing the number of victims in the city to two," The White Helmets civil rescue team reported on Monday.

Russian airstrikes were launched on 12 areas, including a site close to a prison in Idlib city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group claims the Russian strikes were coordinated with Turkey.

Local sources told Turkey's Anadolu news agency that one civilian was killed and three injured following regime shelling in Syria's de-escalation zone.

Although it is covered by a "de-conflict zone" - agreed between Russia, Turkey and Iran - Idlib province has been relentlessly shelled by regime forces.

At least 321 civilians, including 103 children and 71 women, have been killed in the bombardments, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have taken over Idlib province, including areas once controlled by moderate groups. Fighting between HTS and regime forces has intensified over the past week.

Syria's war broke out in 2011, when regime forces brutally cracked down on protests. Since then around half-a-million people have died, the vast majority civilians killed by regime bombing and shelling.