Moscow, Damascus jets bomb Idlib to push back Syrian rebels

Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib on Sunday in the second day of intensive bombing in northern Syria aimed at pushing back insurgents who had swept through to the city of Aleppo, Syrian army sources said.

Residents said one of the raids hit a crowded residential area in the centre of Idlib, which is the largest city in a rebel enclave near the Turkish border where around four million people live in makeshift tents and dwellings. At least four people were killed and dozens injured, according to rescuers at the scene.

The Syrian army and its ally Russia say they target the hideouts of insurgent groups and deny attacking civilians.

On Saturday, Russian and Syrian jets bombed other towns in Idlib province, which had fallen completely under rebel control in the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020.

Insurgents swept into the city of Aleppo, east of Idlib province, on Friday night, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years.

The Syrian army said dozens of its soldiers had been killed in the attack. The insurgents are a coalition of Turkey-backed mainstream secular armed groups along with Hyat Tahrir al Sham, an Islamist group.