Dozens killed and wounded in Russian airstrike on armed opposition group in Syria’s Idlib

IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – A massive number of Syrian opposition militants were killed and wounded as a result of airstrikes by Russian aircraft in northwestern Syria’s Idlib on Monday.

A military source told North Press that the strikes targeted a camp belonging to the Sham Legion, which is affiliated with the National Front for Liberation, which itself is affiliated with the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army.

The strikes hit the camp in Jabal al-Duwailah northwest of Idlib. The source added that dozens of fighters were killed and wounded, and that ambulances continue to stream in and out of the area.

Idlib governorate and parts of the countryside off Hama, Aleppo, and Latakia are under an agreement between Russia and Turkey to stop combat operations in the de-escalation zones in northwestern Syria, though attacks and mutual bombardments continue in the region.

At the time of this report, the death toll was more than 80, with more than 90 wounded. The death toll continues to rise as teams search for missing individuals and others succumb to their wounds. There has been no comment from the Sham Legion or any other opposition groups in the region regarding the incident.

Russia has previously targeted the group, inflicting heavy losses and prompting local activists and observers to come to the conclusion that these strikes intend to send a message to Turkey.

Recently, the region has witnessed military escalation between Syrian government forces and opposition groups, amid talk of the former’s intention to launch a military operation in Idlib.

Reporting by Baraa al-Shami