Seven civilians killed in the bombing of the regime forces in the Syrian province of Idlib
Seven civilians were killed Thursday in a rocket attack on the regime in Idlib province in northwestern Syria, which has been witnessing an escalation of bombings in recent weeks, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
“The missile strikes targeted the village of Um Tuina and a small random camp for the displaced in the south-eastern Idlib countryside,” Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP.
“Seven civilians, including three children, were killed and 30 others were wounded,” he said, adding that the toll was likely to rise due to the presence of serious injuries.
Idlib, with parts of neighboring provinces, is governed by an agreement reached by Russia and Turkey in Sochi, which stipulates the establishment of a demilitarized zone between 15 and 20 kilometers deep along the lines of contact between government forces, the Sham Liberation Organization and other small groups. However, its application has not yet been completed. Damascus accuses Ankara of “delaying” its implementation.
The province, which is under the control of the Sham Liberation Organization (formerly Nasra Front), is witnessing an escalation of shelling by the regime’s forces and its ally Russia for weeks. The factions are targeted by government control areas.
The three countries sponsoring the Astana, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreements are expected to discuss the future of Idlib in new talks on the 25th and 26th of this month.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday during a visit to Damascus, according to the newspaper Al-Watan, close to the government, that “the guarantors of the course of Astana, Iran, Russia and Turkey, abide by the commitments associated with the file Idleb,” explaining that “among the most important of these disarmament Terrorist groups and the removal of these groups from Idlib. ”
Damascus has always reiterated its intention to restore areas beyond its control, namely Idlib and the Kurdish rebel areas in northern and eastern Syria, through negotiations or through military force.
The escalation in Idlib has displaced more than 86,000 people in the past two months, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Thursday.
The United Nations and international organizations are wary of the consequences of any military attack on Idlib, home to some three million people, about half of whom are displaced from other provinces.