The Assad regime and its Iranian allies, including Hezbollah, have escalated their campaign of terror in northwestern Syria, systematically targeting homes and residential areas in an effort to displace civilians. The ongoing bombardment has left a trail of death, injury, and destruction, as families flee their homes to escape relentless regime shelling and allied Russian airstrikes.
In recent months, attacks by regime forces and their Iranian and Russian backers have increased dramatically, with the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) reporting a steady rise in the number of strikes. Between May and September, northwestern Syria endured:
- 1,329 strikes in May
- 1,503 strikes in June
- 1,414 strikes in July
- 1,600 strikes in August
- 1,782 strikes in September
The escalation has brought widespread fear and terror to civilians, who are caught in the crossfire of indiscriminate shelling and targeted airstrikes that often destroy homes, schools, and vital infrastructure.
In the latest string of attacks, regime forces and Iranian militias shelled the city of Atarib in western Aleppo’s countryside on Tuesday, killing one civilian and injuring eight others, including two children and two women. The artillery fire originated from the regime-controlled 46th Regiment, west of Aleppo. Syrian Civil Defense teams, also known as the White Helmets, rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals.
This attack is part of a larger campaign that has systematically targeted civilian areas in an apparent effort to terrorize residents and force them to flee. On September 29, heavy artillery shelling in Sarmin, in eastern Idlib, killed multiple civilians. Earlier, the town of Kafriya, also in eastern Idlib, was hit by artillery and missiles, killing six civilians – including two women and an elderly man – and wounding 11 others, five of whom were children.
The White Helmets confirmed that families in Atarib are fleeing to neighboring areas to escape the violence. Similar scenes of displacement are playing out across the region, with thousands of families being forced from their homes in fear of further attacks.
The attacks have taken a particularly tragic toll on children. Today, a five-year-old girl named Jana was killed in artillery shelling that hit her family’s home between the villages of Maarbalit and Maarzaf in southern Idlib. “Jana, 5 years old, passed away today, without saying goodbye to her family or her friends in the neighborhood,” the Syrian Civil Defense said in a statement. “Her dreams were stolen by regime shells.”
Artillery and missile strikes have also targeted schools and medical facilities. On Tuesday, a school in the village of Al-Muhsinli in the Jarabulus countryside, east of Aleppo, was shelled, injuring four students, a teacher, and a nearby resident. The attack left the school in ruins, further disrupting education in an area already ravaged by war.
The SSG has condemned the attacks as part of a deliberate strategy to displace civilians and destroy the social fabric of northwestern Syria. By targeting residential areas and essential infrastructure, including water and power stations, the Assad regime and its allies aim to force families from their homes, leaving entire communities in ruins.
“The systematic shelling of villages and towns in northwestern Syria has caused widespread fear and displacement,” said Raed Al-Saleh, Director of the Syrian Civil Defense. “Over 5 million civilians in the region are at risk, and the international community must act now to stop the crimes of the Assad regime and Russia before the humanitarian crisis worsens.”
The ongoing bombardment has already displaced thousands of families, with many fleeing toward overcrowded camps near the Turkish border. The White Helmets and other humanitarian groups have been overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis, as they work to provide basic services and shelter to those affected. This is further compounded by an influx of Syrian refugees fleeing Israeli attacks in neighboring Lebanon.
On Monday alone, 16 rocket shells targeted the road between the villages of Umm Adasa and Jab al-Naasan in eastern Aleppo, injuring eight civilians, including two children. On the same day, shelling in the town of Badama, west of Idlib, caused widespread damage to agricultural lands, further crippling the livelihoods of local farmers.
The situation in northwestern Syria grows more dire with each passing day, as the Assad regime and its allies continue to rain terror on the region. The relentless targeting of homes and residential areas has created a cycle of fear, displacement, and destruction, leaving millions of civilians in a precarious state. Without immediate action from the international community, the humanitarian crisis in northern Syria is poised to worsen dramatically.
