White Helmets rescuers search for victims of pro-Assad shelling of Khan Sheikhoun, Syria, February 15, 2019
At least 22 civilians — most of them children and women — have been killed since Friday in the latest Assad regime attacks on Idlib Province in northwest Syria.
Pro-Assad forces have regularly fired shells and rockets on the demilitarized zone declared around Idlib and northern Hama Provinces by Russia and Turkey in September, but the latest assault is one of the most intense.
Twenty-one of the victims were in Khan Sheikhoun, where an Assad regime sarin attack killed about 90 civilians and wounded hundreds in April 2017. The White Helmets civil defense reported that more than 25 artillery shells struck the area on Friday, with the bombardment continuing through Saturday.
Scenes from the exhaustive search and rescue efforts of our #WhiteHelmets teams after the barbaric artillery shelling that targeted Ma'arat al-Nu'man city this afternoon. The brutal onslaught has claimed the lives of 4 civilians, including women. #Idlib #Syria pic.twitter.com/AhExCH0yLG
— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) February 16, 2019
Rebels retaliated with firing of Grad rockets on regime positions.
Russian and Turkish leaders Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at a summit with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in southern Russia on Thursday, did not refer to the pro-Assad attacks since September. Instead Putin said, “We should not put up with the presence of terrorist groups in Idlib.”
Syria Daily, Feb 15: Putin Wags Finger Over Opposition Idlib, But No Details of Action
The head of the White Helmets, Raed Saleh, noted: “Through our response to the systematic bombing of civilian homes, we note that with every international meeting or negotiation session on Idlib, there will be massacres and shelling by the regime and its allies.”
Video of the rescue operation on Friday:
Ahmad Adnan al-Muhsen, killed in Khan Sheikhoun:
One man was killed and 7 others wounded following the artillery shilling that targeting Ma'arat al-Nu'man city southern #Idlib with missiles carrying cluster bombs. Our #WhiteHelmets teams quickly mobilized at the sites and initiated search and rescue. #Syria pic.twitter.com/1WW9tMsWla
— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) February 16, 2019
One women Lina al-Sarmani has been killed leaving her injured child motherless, and three other children were also injured after the renewed rocket attacks on #Khan_shikun city. Bringing the number to 3 civilians killed and 10 others injured today. #Syria #Idlib pic.twitter.com/q4yfsHhyce
— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) February 16, 2019