Damascus [Syria], June 26: In a devastating series of air strikes on northwestern Syria's Idlib province, Russian warplanes have left at least 11including seven civilians dead and more than 30 wounded, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The bombings, which took place on Sunday, targeted various locations on an opposition-controlled enclave including a bustling market teeming with shoppers, according to the Britain-based watchdog. Emergency rescue volunteers reported the casualties, emphasizing the heavy toll inflicted by the attacks.
The Syria Civil Defence, popularly known as the White Helmets, confirmed that a vegetable market in Jisr al-Shughour city, located in the eastern Idlib countryside, bore the brunt of the assault. The market, central to farmers in the area, was struck by a Russian Su-34 aircraft, turning the once vibrant space into a scene of horror and carnage.
Among the witnesses, RedaHayshid, a 21-year-old vegetable vendor, shared his traumatic experience. "During our work today at the vegetable market, we were startled by an air strike that targeted the market where we were present, turning [it] into a pool of blood and the remains of victims," he recounted. Hayshid expressed anguish over losing friends and seeing others suffer life-threatening injuries.
The intensity of the attacks has recently escalated, causing severe strain on rescue operations, according to Ahmed Yazji, a board member of the Syria Civil Defence. He noted, "In general, the Syrian regime and Russian attacks on the region have witnessed an escalation in the last few days, which puts a huge burden on our work because both [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad and Russia are known to double attack areas where we are present while trying to rescue the victims and the injured."
Rami Jaafar, a market customer who narrowly escaped the tragedy, rushed back to the site to check on his relatives. "The place was filled with dust, the smell of blood and gunpowder permeating the air. There was no sound except for the moans of the wounded and the ambulances that transported my cousins to the hospital," he recounted, describing the grim aftermath of the bombings.
In addition to the market attack, Syrian forces, supported by Russia, subjected the outskirts of Sarja and Al-Rawihah towns in southern Idlib to heavy shelling. This relentless bombardment has continued for six consecutive days, affecting parts of northwestern Syria that lie along the border with Turkey.
While Damascus and Moscow have claimed to target only insurgent groups in the past, ObaidaDandoush, a field operations manager with the Syria Response Coordination Group, a local humanitarian organization, strongly denounced the direct targeting of civilians. Dandoush criticized the Syrian regime and Russia, stating, "We strongly condemn the direct targeting of civilians within cities and villages by [the] Syrian regime and Russia, as it leads to the displacement of their populations in an attempt to create demographic changes in the region."
Sunday's bombardment was unleashed in response to deadly drone attacks mounted earlier in the week against Qardah, the hometown of al-Assad's family and the government-ruled town of Salhab in south-western Syria, the Observatory's head, Rami Abdel- Rahman, told dpa.
Source: Qatar Tribune