FILE PHOTO: Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft before departing for its permanent base in Russia from Khmeimim Air Base in Syria. © Vadim Grishankin / Sputnik
On July 30, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) carried out seven airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, where several terrorists groups are present.
The Russian airstrikes targeted the outskirts of the towns of Mashoon, Kansafra, Mareian and al-Fatterah in southern Idlib. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that the airstrikes had resulted in “material losses” without elaborating.
#عاجل : الطيران الحربي الروسي يستهدف أطراف بلدتي كنصفرة و الفطيرة في منطقة جبل الزاوية بريف ادلب الجنوبي بالصواريخ. pic.twitter.com/C2GCqX6ZtE
— azalden alqasem (@azaldenalkasem1) July 30, 2021
الطيران الحربي الروسي يستهدف بلصواريخ بلدة مشون بجبل الزاوية جنوب ادلب pic.twitter.com/Br8yzkhMUl
— Loae al haas لؤي الحاس (@Loaealhaas00963) July 30, 2021
مراسل شبكة الجسر: مقاتلات الاحتلال الروسي تقصف أطرف مرعيان بريف إدلب الجنوبي pic.twitter.com/BR6xb6ZKOT
— قناة الجسر الفضائية (@jisrtv) July 30, 2021
#عاجل : الطيران الحربي الروسي يستهدف أطراف بلدتي كنصفرة و الفطيرة في منطقة جبل الزاوية بريف ادلب الجنوبي بالصواريخ. pic.twitter.com/wBnM8R4qne
— #مع_درعا Hadi khrat (@hadikhraat) July 30, 2021
The airstrikes coincided with heavy artillery strikes by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) on militants’ positions in southern Idlib.
The Syrian and Russian strikes were likely meant as a punishment for al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and its Turkish backed allies. The factions shelled government-held towns and villages around Greater Idlib in the morning to support local gunmen in Daraa, where the SAA is currently carrying out a military operation.
The VKS have recently stepped up its combat operations against HTS and its allies. A new report by the SOHR revealed that Russian warplanes had carried out more than 80 airstrikes on southern Idlib, northern Lattakia and northwestern Hama over the last 30 days.
The ceasefire in Greater Idlib, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey last year, is barely holding up. The situation in the region may soon spin out of control.
