IDLIB, Syria

Five Syrian civilians were killed – including four children – and four injured in an attack by Assad regime forces and their allies on residential areas in the northwestern Idlib province, a local monitoring group said Thursday.

Anadolu Agency reported on Thursday that regime forces and Iranian-backed foreign terrorist groups, stationed at a base in the city of Maarat al-Numan, bombarded the village of Mashoun in southern Idlib.

The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) said the attack killed five civilians, including four children, and wounded four others.

In May 2017, Turkey, Russia, and Iran announced an agreement to establish a de-escalation zone in Idlib, as part of the Astana meetings on the Syrian crisis.

​​​​​​​The Syrian regime forces and their supporters, however, continue sporadic attacks, in violation of a cease-fire agreement signed in March 2020.