IDLIB, Syria

Two children were killed in Russian airstrikes on residential areas in the de-escalation zone of Idlib, Syria, the Syrian civil defense group White Helmets said on Thursday. 

Two minor siblings were killed in the Maarat Hurma village, the agency said.

According to the Syrian opposition's aircraft observatory, Russian warplanes targeted the villages of Maarat Hurma, Hazareen, Misherfah, Sfuhan, Umm al-Halaheel, al-Dar al-Kaberah and Zarzour.

Assad regime's warplanes and artillery also targeted Kafr Nabl, Bsakla, Marita, Jibila, Sihal, Tal Dam, Tahtaya and Gassayne village.

The targeted areas fall within the de-escalation zone laid out in Turkey’s deal reached with Russia late 2018.

Since then, over 1,300 civilians have been killed in attacks by the regime and Russian forces in the de-escalation zone.

Notably, about a million people have been forced to leave conflict-prone areas of the city and started taking shelter in safer areas in the northern part of the city bordering Turkey.

The Turkish government has followed an "open-door" policy for Syrians since the eruption of the bloody war.

There are over 3.6 million Syrians currently taking shelter in Turkey, many looking forward to one day returning home.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat