Intensified Shelling on De-escalation Zones in the Second Day of Russian-Turkish Ceasefire
Idlib – North-Press Agency
Syrian Government Forces intensified their air strikes in the second day of the Russian-Turkish ceasefire which was reached on Wednesday night, including a ceasefire in the de-escalation zones.
Our reporter observed on Friday morning shelling by the Syrian Air Forces targeting areas of Ihsem, Tal-Mardikh, Al-Arbaeen Mountain, Al-Mastoma and Deir Al-Sharqi in the southern countryside of Idlib, Kafr-Zita and Al-Latamna in northern Hama, causing some injuries.
The Government forces also targeted areas of As-Sayyad, Khan-Shaykhoun, Kafr Sajna, Moqa and Bola’a south of Idlib, as well as As-Sayyad in the northern countryside of Hama.
While the number of casualties has risen to 6 people during the last 24 hours, including two children and a woman lost their lives in the shelling on Me’rata, Moqa and Khan Al-Sabel in Idlib governorate, while about 10 others were injured in the shelling that hit the above-mentioned areas as well as Haas and Ihsem.
The Escalation operations happen despite a truce which was refused by the armed opposition groups, while the Syrian government forces continued the shelling despite the Russian and Turkish guarantees of the ceasefire following an escalation that began in late April.
While the team of “Syria Response Coordinators” had counted the number of killed civilians that has risen to about 700, including 205 children due to the ground and air shelling since last February.
The United Nations also expressed its deep concerns over the deteriorating situation in the de-escalation zones in Syria and the flow of Syrian IDPs to the borders with Turkey.
The US special envoy to Syria Amb. James Jeffrey also expressed the US concerns over the assault on Idlib, and “the deliberate air strikes targeting civilians.”
Jeffrey pointed out that the escalation has forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to leave their houses, stressing that the Syrian government doesn’t have military capabilities without the Russian military support, describing what is happening in northwestern Syria as “a first-class humanitarian catastrophe.”