Syria: Fierce Shelling on 81st Day of Escalation

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Friday that the fiercest military operation of Russia and the Syrian regime has entered its 81st day in the de-escalation zone in the western countrysides of Hama and Idlib.

SOHR – headquartered in the UK – stated that the operation has proven failure despite unlimited Russian support to the regime forces and pro-forces under the leadership of Suhail al-Hasan aka the “tiger”.

Also, the Russian and Syrian fighter jets conducted 58,000 air and ground strikes but only managed to progress in 20 regions in Hama and Idlib countrysides.

The regime’s and Russian campaign displaced around 500,000 Syrian civilians from their houses and regions due to the shelling, and destroyed 19 hospitals and health centers.

The Syrian Observatory monitored the death of 616 civilians including 153 children and 122 women since the beginning of the most violent escalation on April 30 and until Thursday evening.

“At least 963 fighters were killed in the Russian airstrikes and the regime’s aerial and ground shelling including 606 of the Jihadis, in addition to the killing of 904 members of the regime forces in targeting and shelling by jihadi groups and factions,” revealed the report.

Further, the regions on the Syrian-Turkish border witness relative calmness amid Turkish reinforcements.

The regime’s warplanes carried out raids targeting areas in Khan Shaykhun, in coincidence with dropping barrel bombs by helicopters on the region there, added the report.

Source: Syria: Fierce Shelling on 81st Day of Escalation | Asharq AL-awsat