Airstrikes and missile attacks by Russian and Assad regime forces ravaged civilian areas across Idlib province on Friday, killing six civilians and injuring 33 others, including women and children. The assaults targeted residential neighborhoods, schools, and marketplaces, leaving behind a trail of destruction and heightening fears of further violence in the liberated north.
In one of the most devastating incidents, four civilians lost their lives, and 19 others sustained injuries after warplanes bombed residential areas, a gas station, and Salah al-Din School in the city of Idlib. The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, described the attacks as deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools and densely populated areas.
“The Russian-Syrian alliance has escalated its attacks on civilian neighborhoods, causing immense suffering and destruction,” a Civil Defense spokesperson said.
The violence extended to other towns and villages in the province. Airstrikes on the cities of Sarmada and Al-Dana in northern Idlib caused significant damage. In the southern countryside, regime and Russian aircraft targeted Sarjah village, injuring four civilians, including a child.
Meanwhile, shelling struck residential areas near agricultural lands on the outskirts of Marayan village and the town of Al-Nayrab in eastern Idlib. Although no casualties were reported in these areas, the strikes further destabilized communities already struggling with displacement and resource shortages.
By late Friday, the Syrian Civil Defense reported a total of six civilian deaths and 33 injuries, including 11 children and six women. The use of incendiary sub-munitions, documented in some attacks, has drawn sharp condemnation from humanitarian groups.
“The targeting of schools, marketplaces, and homes is a humanitarian crime,” said Eng. Muhammad al-Bashir, Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG). “The blood of our people is a trust, and we will continue to defend our land and our people by all available means.” Al-Bashir also confirmed that the SSG’s Ministries of Interior and Health had mobilized resources to aid the injured and assist affected families.
The escalating violence has prompted calls for intervention from regional and international actors. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attacks, warning that they violate the Astana agreements and pose a severe threat to regional stability. “We have raised the necessary warnings on various international platforms regarding the recent attacks on Idlib,” a Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson said. “These attacks must be halted.”
The SSG’s Minister of Interior, Muhammad Abdurahman, announced measures to protect civilians, including dispersing gatherings in markets and other public areas to mitigate risks from airstrikes. For the residents of Idlib and surrounding areas, Friday’s violence serves as yet another reminder of the unyielding dangers they face. Civilian infrastructure, including schools and homes, has become a frequent target, leaving many with nowhere to turn as the crisis deepens.
