Press release
Syrian Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
March 21, 2019
The serious military escalation by the Assad regime, the Iranian militias, and the Russian occupation forces against the towns and villages of Idlib and Hama provinces is a blatant violation of the Idlib agreement. These attacks also constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity as they are mainly targeting civilians, especially women and children.
The aerial bombardment by the Russian air force targeting many towns and villages in Idlib and Hama countryside on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of civilians and the injury of many others, including women and children.
The Russian airstrikes also targeted the town of Jisr al-Shughour as well as the villages of Hamediya, Sheikh Mustafa, al-Faqee’ and the outskirts of the towns of Basida and Tala’as. The Assad regime also carried out artillery shelling on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib countryside as well as the towns of Kafarzeita, Morek, Lataminah, Ma’arkibba, Latmin, al-Zakat, Hasraya, al-Arbaien, Sahriya, Hwayez, Tweina, al-Sharie’a, Sahab, Hawija, Qirata and Shahranaz in northeastern rural Hama.
These attacks require serious response by all concerned countries. It is imperative that the international community assume its responsibilities towards maintaining international peace and security and to intervene to put an end to these war crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable.
The Assad regime and its allies have a proven track record of breaching agreements, committing crimes, violating international resolutions, and seeking military escalation in an attempt to undermine the political solution and all international efforts to push for a solution in Syria.
