The liberated areas of northwestern Syria have come under relentless attacks by Assad regime forces and their Russian and Iranian allies over the past 24 hours, intensifying a humanitarian crisis already plaguing the region. Heavy artillery, rocket launchers, and explosives-laden drones targeted residential neighborhoods, forcing 508 families, and over 2,000 people, to flee their homes, according to the Syrian Salvation Government’s (SSG) Office of Humanitarian Affairs.
The shelling campaign struck multiple towns and villages in the western Aleppo countryside, including Darat Izza, Tadil, and Kafr Taal. In Idlib, towns such as Maarat Aliya, Sarmin, and Harsh Benin were also hit, with several FPV drones deployed in these areas. Civilians living near the front lines in Latakia’s northern countryside were not spared, as artillery shells rained down on Al-Tuffahiyah, Al-Sarmaniyeh, and Sheikh Sandyan.
The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, reported four injuries, including three brothers injured near the 111th Regiment in western Aleppo. Additionally, civilian property, including homes, cars, and motorcycles was severely damaged.
In one alarming incident, a drone launched at Maarat Aliya was successfully shot down by local residents. Such incidents have become daily occurrences in many areas, an indication of the growing threat of drone warfare, which is increasingly targeting densely populated civilian areas.
The continued targeting of civilians has displaced entire communities near the conflict’s fronts. The largest exodus occurred in Maaret Al-Naasan, where 98 families fled their homes, followed by 82 families each from Kafr Nouran and Taqad. Jabal Al-Zawiya saw 51 families displaced, and Al-Neirab recorded 46 families forced to leave.
These attacks are part of a calculated strategy by the Assad regime and its allies to terrorize civilians into abandoning their homes, according to local humanitarian workers. The deliberate destruction of infrastructure and the constant threat of bombardment make it nearly impossible for displaced families to return, exacerbating the crisis of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDP) – regionally and internationally.
“The shelling isn’t just destroying homes – it’s dismantling entire communities,” said a spokesperson for the White Helmets. “These families are being forced to leave with nowhere to go, adding to the already dire situation for IDPs in northern Syria.”
This recent escalation follows a consistent pattern of attacks on the liberated north. Last month, the White Helmets conducted 142 search and rescue operations, recovering 14 dead civilians – including a woman and a child – and rescuing 90 injured individuals, among them 26 children.
Friday’s bombardment alone saw the Assad regime firing 179 shells, including mortars, Grad rockets, and tank shells, across multiple locations. Suicide drones, often equipped with explosives, have become an increasingly common weapon, sowing fear among civilians and devastating properties.
The SSG’s recent statistics highlight the enormity of the crisis, with some towns such as Sarmada and Tadil barely able to accommodate the displaced families. As the shelling continues, hopes for a reprieve remain dim for the residents of northwestern Syria, who are once again paying the price of a protracted and brutal conflict.
