Russian airstrikes in Syria’s Idlib leave 10 dead, 32 injured

The death toll from Russian airstrikes in northwestern Syria’s Idlib province rised to 10, with 32 people wounded, according to local sources on Thursday.

Information from an opposition-affiliated aircraft observatory revealed that three Russian fighter jets, which took off from the Hmeimim Air Base in Latakia, launched four airstrikes on Idlib at around 5 p.m. local time on Monday.

The Syrian Civil Defense group, known as the White Helmets, reported that the strikes targeted a carpenter’s workshop in the village of Ainshib, resulting in the fatalities and injuries. Those wounded were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Over the past four days, Russia has conducted airstrikes at 27 locations across Idlib, escalating tensions in the region.

In 2017, Türkiye, Russia, and Iran agreed during the Astana peace talks to establish four “de-escalation zones” in areas outside of Syrian government control. However, the Syrian regime, backed by Iranian militias and Russian forces, has continued military operations, capturing three of the zones and turning its focus on Idlib.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached between Türkiye and Russia in September 2018, violence resumed in May 2019. A subsequent truce, brokered on March 5, 2020, between the two nations, has largely held, though sporadic clashes continue.

Since 2017, an estimated 2 million civilians have been displaced, fleeing to areas near the Turkish border to escape the ongoing fighting.