Civilians are killed in Russian raids on Idlib and the opposition shells Khan Sheikhoun for the first time

Civilian casualties, including children, have been caused by Russian and Syrian regime raids on several towns in the countryside of Idlib in northwestern Syria, which also caused extensive destruction of buildings and property. Al-Jazeera correspondent said that the opposition forces bombed the city of Khan Sheikhoun for the first time since the regime took control of it last Wednesday.

Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that four civilians, including two children, were killed and others were injured in Russian raids on residential neighborhoods in the towns of Seqla and Maaret Harma in the southern countryside of Idlib.He added that other Syrian regime airstrikes targeted several towns in the eastern countryside of Idlib and caused extensive destruction of buildings and property.

The observation tracked the movement of air traffic of the opposition on his accounts on social networking sites, that the Russian airstrikes targeted villages Bqqla and Maarat Harmah and Kfarsjnh and Kfarwaid and Hesh and Sufohen and Ihsam and Tahl countryside Idlib, and the village of Alkabinah countryside Lattakia.

Civil defense sources told the Anatolia news agency that three of the dead were killed in Biskla, a fourth civilian in Maarat Harma, and other civilians in Kfarsijnh, pointing out that 12 civilians were injured in the shelling, some of them seriously, making the death toll to increase.

Since Wednesday, the Syrian regime army, backed by Russian warplanes and militias, has taken control of the main town of Khan Sheikhoun, and swept the countryside south until it surrounded a Turkish observation post in northern Hama province.

Targeting Khan Sheikhoun
Last Saturday, pro-Syrian forces massed north of Khan Sheikhoun, in an apparent attempt to continue the offensive on Idlib province. In the context of Al Jazeera correspondent that the opposition forces on Monday shelled the city of Khan Sheikhoun rockets for the first time since the regime's control.

Sham network pointed out that the opposition factions targeted Khan Sheikhoun Grad rockets, and targeted mortar shells strongholds of the regime forces in nearby Tel Nimr and achieved direct injuries.

The armed opposition announced that it had killed and wounded a number of regime forces and militias loyal to Iran as it tried to advance in the hills of Kabina in Lattakia countryside.

It also announced the downing of a Russian reconnaissance drone in the sky of Mount Shehshbo in the western countryside of Hama.

After Khan Sheikhoun, Maarat al-Nu'man is the next town on a major highway running through Idlib province, which the regime, with Russian support, wants to restore.

The regime's full control of the road will allow the capital Damascus to be linked with Aleppo, which it regained full control in late 2016.

The Syrian regime announced the resumption of military operations in the region, despite its declaration of commitment to a cease-fire during the Astana talks held earlier this month.

In May 2017, Turkey, Russia and Iran announced they had reached an agreement on the de-escalation zone in Idlib as part of the Astana meetings on Syria.However, regime forces and supporters continue to launch attacks in the region despite the understanding between Turkey and Russia on September 17, 2018 in Sochi on the Russian installed a ceasefire in the said area.