At least 27 killed in air strikes on Syrian rebel city as Idlib campaign continues
At least 27 people were killed yesterday when air strikes hit a popular market and residential areas in one of the cities held by opposition forces in north-western Syria.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacks on Maarat Al Numan, a city in the south of Idlib province, were carried out by Russia, an ally of President Bashar Al Assad’s regime.
Moscow denied it was responsible, describing reports of Russian warplanes bombing the city as “fake”.
Busy marketplaces and residential areas have been a frequent target of the campaign waged by Moscow and the Syrian regime since April.
The observatory said the attacks increased the number of civilians killed by regime or Russian bombardments in the north-west to 682 since April.
It said 53 civilians were killed by rebel attacks on state-held areas in the same period.
About 1,500 fighters have been killed in that time, it said. That statistic referred to both sides of the conflict.
An increase in violence also forced tens of thousands to flee their homes and damaged or knocked out of service two dozen hospitals.
Syrian state news agency Sana said the army repelled an attack by militant groups that targeted forces protecting the village of Al Qasabiya in southern Idlib.
The air strikes came on the same day the Pope sent a letter to President Bashar Al Assad calling for an end to the conflict
Residents and local and international aid agencies that support the rebels said the sustained bombing campaign paralysed everyday life in opposition areas.
The Russia-backed offensive has so far failed to make major inroads into rebel territory in northern Hama and southern Idlib, where mainstream rebels backed by Turkey are fighting alongside militant groups to put up fierce resistance in their last remaining bastion in the country.
Russia and the Syrian army deny allegations of indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas and say they are fighting Al Qaeda-inspired militants.
The latest air strikes came on the same day Pope Francis sent a letter to Mr Al Assad in which the pontiff called for negotiations to be held to bring an end to the conflict.
The Vatican said he also expressed “deep concern” about the humanitarian situation in north-western Syria.
The letter was delivered by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, who heads the Vatican department for promoting human development, the Vatican said.
In his letter, Pope Francis called for the safe return of millions of people displaced by years of fighting, the humane treatment of political prisoners and said talks must be held to find a political solution to the conflict.
“At the heart of this initiative lies Pope Francis’s and the Holy See’s concern for the humanitarian situation, in particular in Idlib province,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.
The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 after a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.