At least seven people were killed in airstrikes in Syria’s Idlib province on Thursday. According to the Syrian Civil Defense (“White Helmets”), 15 others were injured. Four Russian fighter jets are said to have carried out a total of 16 attacks. Cluster bombs were also said to have been used.
At least four of the dead were civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Thursday’s shelling struck a quarry and a nearby house west of the city of Idlib. The province of the same name, which is mainly controlled by Islamist militias, is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.
Syria and Russia have been allies for decades. However, the ties between the two countries have been particularly close since Moscow intervened militarily in the war in Syria in 2015 along with ruler Bashar al-Assad. This turned the tide in Assad’s favor, whose forces were able to recapture some areas.
The UK-based Observatory for Human Rights gets its information from a network of local whistleblowers. However, the information provided by the organization is often hardly verifiable by an independent party.
Cluster munitions are largely banned
Cluster munitions are rockets and bombs that detonate in the air above the target, releasing many small explosives. An agreement from 2008 prohibits, among other things, the use of the largely banned cluster munitions and stipulates the destruction of stocks. 123 states have signed this treaty. Among them are 24 NATO countries, but not the US. Russia has not signed it either.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
