At least 13 killed in Syria rocket exchanges

Syrian government forces and insurgents exchanged a barrage of rockets that killed at least 13 people and hit a government-run hospital in the country’s northwest yesterday.

The violence strained a fragile months-old truce negotiated between Russia and Turkey that averted a government offensive on Idlib and surrounding areas, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. The region is home to some 3 million people, including many displaced from other battles in the eight-yearold civil war.

The head of the local hospital in governmentheld Massyaf said insurgent shelling killed a rescue worker and four other people. Maher Younis told the state-run Ikhbariya TV that five children who were arriving at the hospital and two dentists were wounded.