In a campaign of relentless brutality, Assad regime forces and their Russian allies have intensified attacks on civilian infrastructure in northwestern Syria, violating international law and committing war crimes. Over the past six days, airstrikes, artillery, and missile attacks have targeted hospitals, schools, places of worship, and camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), resulting in widespread casualties and destruction.
Since November 27, the Assad regime and Russian forces have launched over 500 airstrikes, killing 81 civilians, including 34 children and 12 women, and injuring more than 300 others, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets. Among the dead are victims of strikes on IDP camps, mosques, and residential neighborhoods, with medical facilities being repeatedly targeted.
Idlib University Hospital, and Ibn Sina Hospital, were hit along with multiple other health centers in Idlib, some of which were rendered inoperable in strikes that the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) Health Minister Dr. Mazen Dukhan condemned as “heinous crimes.” In Aleppo, airstrikes on Aleppo University Hospital killed over a dozen civilians, leaving more than 20 others injured.
“International Humanitarian Law explicitly protects hospitals, patients, and medical transport. Targeting these facilities is a war crime,” the White Helmets stated, emphasizing the Assad regime and Russia’s blatant disregard for global legal norms.
The violence extended to religious institutions, with six airstrikes targeting a mosque and a church in central Idlib during midday prayers. Minister of Endowments Hossam Haj Hussein accused the Assad regime of “indiscriminately attacking Syrians” in a calculated effort to spread fear and chaos.
Markets, schools, and densely populated residential areas have also been hit. In the Wadi Khaled camp near Harbanoush, eight members of a single family were killed, including seven children, in a massacre that underscores the Assad regime’s pattern of attacks targeting non-combatants.
Yesterday, the European Union denounced the strikes, urging all parties to de-escalate and ensure civilian protection. “We condemn Russian airstrikes on densely populated areas and Russia’s continued support for the Assad regime’s repression,” said EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anwar El-Announi.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned of a worsening crisis, stating that basic services such as water and healthcare are disrupted, leaving civilians without vital support. Thousands of families have been displaced, exacerbating overcrowding in IDP camps and creating urgent humanitarian needs.
Prime Minister Muhammad Al-Bashir of the SSG condemned the attacks, calling them “brutal crimes against civilians” and a “flagrant violation of international law.” He stressed the importance of global accountability, urging the international community to protect Syrian civilians and stop the Assad regime’s atrocities.
The SSG’s Ministry of Development and Humanitarian Affairs described the situation as catastrophic, with the displaced unable to return to liberated areas due to the ongoing bombardment. “The Assad regime and Iranian militias are deliberately targeting safe areas, killing civilians and disrupting their lives,” said ministry official Fadi Al-Qasim.
Civil Defense search-and-rescue teams described the deliberate nature of the attacks as a campaign designed to terrorize civilians. “The targeting of camps, hospitals, and schools is a calculated effort to destroy the necessities of life and spread fear among the population,” the White Helmets stated.
The Syrian Civil Defense has called for immediate international intervention to halt the atrocities and enforce accountability. “If the criminal does not see firmness, he will increase his crimes,” they warned, emphasizing that the Assad regime’s actions are not isolated but part of a systematic strategy to crush resistance and destroy civilian life.
The world watches as hospitals burn, families are buried under rubble, and a people’s resolve is tested under relentless assault. Without decisive action like that of the Repelling the Aggression campaign, to end these atrocities, the Syrian people’s struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity remains an uphill battle against foreign tyranny and war crimes.
