The latest Russia-regime attacks on northwest Syria continue into a third week, with White Helmets rescuers reporting at least 122 civilians killed.
Meanwhile, the Russia-enabled ground offensive — breaking a demilitarized zone declared by Moscow and Turkey last September — advanced farther in northwest Hama Province.
Among the slain civilians were 22 children. Another 329 residents have been injured, including 77 children.
Idlib and northern Hama Provinces are home to an estimated 3 million people, about 20% of Syria’s remaining population. Many of them have been displaced by pro-Assad offensives and forced transfers from other parts of the country.
Russia-Regime Capture of Hama Town
Residents and pro-opposition activists, as well as pro-Assad outlets, reported the fall of Qalaat al-Mudiq in northwest Hama on Thursday.
The town was a stronghold of the Turkish-supported rebel National Liberation Front. It was an entry point for people fleeing into Idlib and northern Hama, the last major opposition area in Syria.
Qalaat al-Mudiq is also the closest point to the Russian airbase at Hmeimim in western Syria. Setting a pretext for the offensive, Moscow pointed to retaliatory rocket attacks on the base, from where airstrikes have been carried out despite the demilitarized zone.
The 15 to 20-km wide zone was announced by Russia and Turkey last autumn, averting a Russia-regime offensive to overrun the opposition territory.
But Ankara has been silent all week, despite its forces being alongside rebels in the northwest since August 2016.
A Limited Offensive?
Some pro-Assad outlets are posting fervent denials of plans for a wider offensive to take most of the area.
The blog Al-Masdar, which claims to have regime military sources, claims a ground assault into most of Idlib must have Russian and Turkish agreement.
It asserts that the advance in northwest Syria came after rebels and the hardline Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham refused to withdraw and halt retaliatory attacks on the regime-held towns of Mhardeh and Suqaylabiyeh.
