SOHR: Russian Warplanes Hit Areas in Northwest Syria

Russian warplanes hit areas in the countryside of Idlib, in the northwest of Syria, on New Year’s Eve, as 2021 registered the lowest yearly death toll since the start of the war in the country a decade ago.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of 3,882 people in 2021.

 

It said 1,558 civilians were killed, including 383 children under the age of 18, and 193 women over the age of 18.

 

Also, 109 loyalists to Iranian and regime forces of non-Syrian citizens mostly of the Shiite sect were killed since the start of the year, in addition to 11 Hezbollah members, 30 Turkish soldiers and two Russians.

 

Meanwhile, the Observatory said Russian fighter jets launched Friday eight airstrikes in Idlib’s countryside, targeting positions in Kansafra, Al-Bara in Jabal Al-Zawiyah, the surrounding areas of Kafr Daryan, the surrounding areas of Al-Jadidah town near Jisr Al-Shughour city and Al-Namerah area in Sahl Al-Rouj in Idlib countryside.

 

“The Russian airstrikes targeted a poultry farm nearby Kafr Daryan on the Syrian border with Iskenderun, leaving two civilian casualties and six injuries,” the London-based watchdog said.

 

Russian fighters also launched two airstrikes on the “Putin-Erdogan” area, targeting the vicinity of Bara village and the vicinity of Kansafra village in Jabal Al-Zawiyah in the southern Idlib countryside.

 

The Observatory said the number of Russian airstrikes on the “de-escalation zone” since early December has exceeded 40.

 

A day earlier, SOHR activists monitored four new raids by Russian fighter jets on the de-escalation zone, targeting Al-Sheikh Bahr area on the northern outskirts of Idlib city, bringing the number of airstrikes during the day to 12.

 

On Friday, the Observatory said that bloodshed continues in Syria despite all attempts to reach solutions.

 

 

 

SOURCE: Asharq Al-Awsat