The Assad regime and Russia have further stepped up bombardment on Idlib and rural Hama in response to the heavy losses they are suffering at the hands of the Free Syrian Army which made significant gains on the ground over the past two days.
Activists said that the Assad regime forces used cluster munitions and vacuum bombs in the bombardment on towns and villages in northern rural Hama and southern rural Idlib. The bombings killed 18 civilians on Wednesday, including two children, and injured dozens more.
The Syrian Civil Defense said that the shelling mainly targeted civilian homes, two schools and a convenience store in the town of Kifranbel.
At least nine people were killed in heavy shelling by the Assad forces and Russian forces on the town of Maaret al-Nouman. The Civil defense said that a total of 77 people were injured in the shelling on Wednesday.
The Syrian Coalition, meanwhile, said that the silence of the international community is to blame for the current situation.
“The Syrian people continue to pay a heavy price for the continued inaction of the international community, especially as this reprehensible crime is only one of the long litany of crimes against civilians and constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity,” the Coalition said.
It is our duty to remind the international community of its responsibilities to maintain peace and save the lives of civilians. We reaffirm that if they have the will, the active States can stop this barbaric attack and act towards enforcing a political solution in accordance with international resolutions. We reiterate calls for such a solution as we stress the need to enforce it without further delay. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
