Russian airstrikes in Syria’s Idlib kill 27 civilians, says monitor

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was the highest civilian toll in Idlib since the region was designated in May as one of Syria’s de-escalation zones.

Air strikes by Russian warplanes in Syria’s mainly jihadist-controlled northwest province of Idlib on Monday killed at least 27 civilians including two children, a Britain-based monitor said.

The monitor on Sunday reported Russian air strikes killed 45 members of a rebel group in Idlib on Saturday. (AP file)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was the highest civilian toll in Idlib since the region was designated in May as one of Syria’s “de-escalation” zones agreed in a deal between regime allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey.

The monitor on Sunday reported Russian air strikes killed 45 members of a rebel group in Idlib on Saturday.

It was unclear why the strikes, which took place Saturday, targeted members of the Faylaq al-Sham rebel group, which has taken part in peace talks supervised by Moscow in the Kazakh capital Astana.