At least 40 civilians lost their lives in northwest Syria after the Regime and Russia carried out air strikes. As per reports from a war monitor, most of the people killed were in a crowded market where they were carrying on with the day to day activities.  In the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idib province, residents and rescue workers carried away men who were covered in blood. An AFP photographer who was in the town said the wounded were carried in mattresses which were being used as makeshift stretchers. He also saw the corpse of a man sprawled on the ground near a motorcycle, rubble surrounding his lifeless body.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have placed the death toll on the vegetable market and surrounding areas in Maaret Al-Numan at 37.As from their count, the air strikes took the lives of 35 civilians and two other persons who were yet to be identified.A Britain-based war monitor said Russian aircrafts had carried out the attack even though Moscow has already denied these allegations.In a statement, the Russian defense ministry said, “The Russian air force was not carrying out any missions in this part of Syria.”

Number of People Wounded

The war monitor has placed the number of wounded people at more than 100 with most of them in critical condition. Other victims of the air strikes are still trapped under rubble with rescue teams and residents trying their level best to help them out. Raean Shardub, the head of the local hospitalexpressed his horror after looking at the “burnt and carbonized bodies and body parts.”While speaking to reporters, he termed the act as a boundless criminality to shameful international silence. A rescue group, The White Helmets, said they lost one of their volunteers during the raids, bringing the number of rescue workers killed to at least since April.

International Truce Deal

The jihadist run Idib region is protected by an International truce deal that is only one-month old. Despite this, it has still come under increased bombardment by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia.This constant violence has led to the death of more than 600 civilians while at the same time damaging or even knocking out of service two dozen health facilities.

In a retaliatory attack, the Jihadists and allied rebels used rocket fire in the northern countryside of Hama province killing seven civilians as per reports from the state-run SANA news agency. The increased violence in Idib, has made it one of the most dangerous places in the world. David Swanson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, “The Idib region has fast become one of the most dangerous for civilians and aid workers today.”

Despite there being efforts to restore peace in the region, the jihadists failed to honor their end of the agreement forcing the Syrian regime to continue with the attacks that have left many civilians dead and homeless.