In what is being described as a major flare-up of violence in Syria’s last opposition stronghold, Russian jets reportedly bombed villages and towns near the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib, on Sunday (June 25), reported Reuters. Meanwhile, a Syrian war monitor told AFP, that at least 11 people, including seven civilians, were killed in the region while dozens of others were wounded.
What do we know about the bombings?
The Western-backed White Helmets emergency service, on Sunday, said that warplanes flying at high altitudes dropped bombs on a vegetable market in Jisr al-Shughur which was crowded ahead of the Eid festival which has left at least nine dead and 30 others injured. A report by Reuters citing tracking centres said that the warplanes were Russia’s Sukhoi jets.
ALSO WATCH | Russian jets bomb Syrian city of Idlib, nine dead and 30 injured
Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP, “Six civilians were killed in Jisr al-Shughur and three rebel fighters were killed nearby by Russian air strikes”. Similarly, the SOHR and AFP said that a fruit and vegetable market in the city was hit by the Russian strike.
According to Ahmed Yezidi of the civil defence in Jisr al-Shughur, which is a city in the rebel-held, Idlib province said that nine people were killed, without mentioning if they were civilians or fighters. He called this bombing a “direct attack on the popular market, which is a basic source of income for farmers” in the area, as quoted by AFP.
Abdel Rahman told AFP, that one civilian and one rebel fighter were also killed in a strike on the outskirts of Idlib city, adding that at least 30 civilians were wounded in Sunday’s strikes and the death toll might rise.
Attacks in Jabal al Zawya region
Similarly, Reuters citing witnesses and rescuers said that Russian jets reportedly also attacked villages in the mountainous Jabal al Zawya region which are on the western outskirts of Idlib city. Notably, the region is said to be a buffer zone carved out by Russia and Turkey which also ended major fighting half a decade ago.
There were no official statements about the supposed attacks by Syria or Russia. According to Abdel Rahman, Moscow, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, carried out the reported air strikes in response to rebel drone attacks over the past week that killed four civilians including two children, reported AFP.
(With inputs from agencies)
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
