A report from the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has documented severe human rights abuses and violations of international law committed by Russian and Assad regime forces against civilians in northwestern Syria. Issued Wednesday, October 23, the report highlights extensive civilian casualties, the destruction of essential infrastructure, and deliberate attacks on non-military targets, which have disrupted basic services for thousands of people.
Between October 14 and October 16, 2024, northwestern Syria faced a surge in violence as Russian warplanes and Syrian regime forces bombarded the region. The SNHR report attributes the killing of 11 civilians and the destruction of a key power station in Idlib to Russian airstrikes, depriving tens of thousands of civilians of electricity and water. The report also documented ground attacks by regime forces, including artillery and suicide drones, which intensified the assault on civilian infrastructure.
According to SNHR’s 16-page report, Russian Su-34 warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes during the escalation period. One of the deadliest attacks occurred on October 16, when two Russian airstrikes targeted a workshop on the Ain Sheeb road west of Idlib city. The strikes killed 11 civilians, including four children, and injured 31 others. The bombing caused significant damage to the workshop and surrounding areas. This workshop had been previously targeted by Russian forces in February, killing one civilian and injuring five others.
In a separate incident on October 15, a Russian Su-34 aircraft attacked the Al-Kilani power station in Ain al-Zarqa, a major energy and water supply source for Idlib’s western countryside. The attack destroyed key transformers, ignited a fire, and damaged critical infrastructure, leaving thousands without electricity or access to clean water. The disruption has halted the irrigation of agricultural lands in the Al-Roj Plain, jeopardizing local agriculture and the livelihoods of countless residents.
The SNHR report states that attacks like these, which deliberately target civilian facilities, violate multiple provisions of international law. Such actions contravene UN Security Council Resolutions 2139 and 2254, which demand an end to indiscriminate attacks in Syria. The report asserts that the deliberate targeting of civilians constitutes war crimes and infringes on the fundamental human right to life.
In addition to these October incidents, the SNHR report outlined a disturbing pattern of attacks on civilian areas throughout 2024. Since January, Russian and Syrian forces have been linked to 54 civilian deaths in northwestern Syria, including 19 children and seven women. Ground operations by regime forces have predominantly relied on explosive-laden suicide drones, while Russian airstrikes have been sudden and unpredictable. In total, the report documents 122 separate attacks over just three days in mid-October, affecting residential areas, local markets, and farmland, primarily in Idlib and the western Aleppo countryside.
UN officials have raised alarms over the worsening situation. Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator David Carden voiced “deep concern” regarding the escalation’s impact on humanitarian efforts. “Hostilities have disrupted health facilities and forced the cessation of humanitarian activities,” he said, emphasizing the detrimental effect on civilian infrastructure. Carden noted that three airstrikes hit a region near a camp while families were receiving food aid, resulting in severe disruptions to local services.
The recent spike in attacks follows a period of relative calm, as the last Russian airstrike in the area was recorded in July. However, the October surge has renewed fears among residents and humanitarian organizations that the region´s conflict may be becoming more destructive.
The SNHR calls on the international community to hold Russian and Syrian forces accountable and to take measures to protect Syrian civilians from further violations. The report underscores the urgent need for adherence to international law and respect for protected civilian areas to prevent further destabilization in Syria’s northwest.
