Fresh airstrikes bring Idlib civilian death toll to 100

By Burak Karacaoglu and Esref Musa

IDLIB, Syria

The civilian death toll in Syria’s Idlib province following 10 days of intense airstrikes has surpassed 100, according to a tally by Anadolu Agency.

Anadolu Agency correspondents based in the area said that areas of both the Idlib and Aleppo provinces were rocked by fresh bombardments on Friday.

Observers in Turkey’s southeastern Hatay province on the border with Syria reported seeing smoke rising from the Syrian villages of Ras al-Hus and Harim.

Since Sept. 19, southern Idlib has remained the target of fierce airstrikes by both Russian and Syrian warplanes.

Local sources say at least 100 civilians have been killed in the strikes, several of which have targeted local hospitals and schools.

Some of the targeted districts are located within Idlib’s de-escalation zone, which was recently set up based on an earlier agreement -- signed in Astana, Kazakhstan -- between Turkey, Iran and Russia.

On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu condemned the deadly air raids.

“We know Russia is targeting terrorist elements in Idlib,” he said. “But scores of civilians and moderate rebels have also been killed.”

He added: “Attacks on civilians constitute a breach of the cease-fire and a violation of the Astana agreement.”