Assad regime forces and their allies launched a barrage of attacks on civilian areas in northern Syria on Wednesday, conducting 157 strikes that included mortar shells, artillery, tank fire, and a high number of suicide drone attacks. The escalation left one civilian dead and caused significant damage to property and infrastructure, with towns in Idlib and Aleppo’s countryside bearing the brunt of the violence.
According to local sources, Wednesday’s bombardment included 90 mortar shells, 25 suicide drones, 21 artillery shells, and 21 tank shells. The attacks targeted several towns and villages across the liberated north, including Maarat al-Naasan, Kafr Nouran, and Darat Izza in the Aleppo countryside, as well as Nawara in the Jabal al-Turkman area of northern Latakia.
The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, reported that the suicide drones, which were “first-person-view” (FPV) explosive-laden, inflicted severe damage on civilian homes, cars, and other property. Their teams inspected affected sites in Maarat al-Naasan and surrounding areas, confirming the material damage but no additional injuries. The White Helmets continue to warn of “serious threats” from the regime’s intensified assaults, which risk worsening the humanitarian disaster in northern Syria.
In one of the attacks in Maarat al-Naasan, a civilian displaced from the nearby town of Kafr Halab was killed after a suicide drone he was handling detonated. Reports indicated the young man was holding the device after someone had shot it down when it exploded in his hands. A video clip of the incident circulated on social media, showing the tragic moment just before the blast.
Following the incident, the Idlib Aviation Observatory (IAO) cautioned residents in northern Syria to exercise extreme care when encountering drones, advising that some may be equipped with delayed timers designed to explode after being disabled or shot down.
The toll on civilians in northwestern Syria has been severe this year. According to the White Helmets, from January to mid-October, regime and allied forces killed 66 civilians, including 18 children and eight women, while injuring 272 people, among them 110 children and 34 women. The White Helmets describe a grim trend, with regular shelling on populated areas bringing new waves of displacement and devastation.
On Tuesday, November 5, regime artillery strikes injured three civilians in Iblin, a town in Idlib’s countryside. Meanwhile, the Syrian Civil Defense repeatedly urges the international community to intervene, warning of an impending humanitarian crisis as attacks on residential neighborhoods intensify.
The Russian Reconciliation Center confirmed that Assad regime forces were reportedly targeted by revolutionary groups near Kabana in the Latakia countryside on Tuesday. Deputy head Oleg Ignasyuk reported that two regime soldiers sustained injuries from machine gun fire, with revolutionary forces retaliating to attacks on civilians by striking at least eight regime points.
In October, Russian airstrikes escalated dramatically, with over 25 air raids conducted on a single day across Aleppo, Idlib, and Latakia. These actions demonstrate the ongoing collaboration between Assad’s forces and Russian military units, with both targeting the liberated areas and killing and injuring numerous civilians.
As attacks intensify, the White Helmets and humanitarian organizations warn of a worsening tragedy in Syria’s northwest. With winter approaching and resources stretched thin, continued bombardment risks displacing more families, complicating relief efforts, and further deepening the crisis faced by civilians trapped in the crossfire.
