Civilians, including three children, were injured yesterday in two drone attacks carried out by Assad regime forces in the village of Kafr Nouran in the western countryside of Aleppo. The assaults, conducted with Russian-made explosive-laden FPV drones, mark a continuation of the regime’s pattern of targeting civilian areas, particularly crowded markets.
The first attack occurred at approximately 6:00 AM local time when three suicide drones struck residential neighborhoods in Kafr Nouran. One civilian was injured in this initial wave, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, commonly known as the White Helmets.
A second attack followed at around 9:30 AM, this time targeting a bustling area filled with shops and vegetable stalls. A single drone exploded in the market, injuring 12 civilians, including three children. The White Helmets reported that some of the injuries were severe, with teams rushing the wounded to nearby hospitals for urgent care.
“I saw a civilian injured in the attack driving a motorcycle with an injured child on the back,” recounted Abdulrahman Emo, a volunteer paramedic with the White Helmets who responded to the scene. “The child’s innocent eyes were filled with fear and sadness, not fully understanding what had happened.”
Dr. Mazen Dukhan, the Syrian Salvation Government’s Minister of Health, confirmed that 13 civilians were injured in total, with the majority being children. The attack on the market highlights a tactic frequently used by both Russian and Assad forces in Syria – deliberately targeting crowded markets, as was recently commemorated on the anniversary of the July Marat Numan market massacre.
The drone strikes are part of the continuing escalation by regime forces in the Idlib and Aleppo countryside in recent weeks. According to the White Helmets, the first half of this year saw 392 attacks on northwestern Syria by regime and Russian forces, including 120 assaults with suicide drones. These attacks continue to claim civilian lives, disrupt livelihoods, and force the displacement of people already suffering from inadequate humanitarian aid.
The use of suicide drones in these attacks has become increasingly common, particularly in targeting civilian areas far from the frontlines. Such tactics say the White Helmets, are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, yet they continue with impunity, contributing to the ongoing devastation in Syria.
The situation in Kafr Nouran exemplifies the persistent danger faced by civilians in northwestern Syria. Despite international condemnation, the Assad regime, bolstered by Russian support, continues its assault on civilian areas, leaving towns and villages like Kafr Nouran to bear the brunt of these relentless attacks.
