Press release

Syrian Coalition

Media Department

September 20, 2017

Russian occupation and Assad regime air forces intensified brutal airstrikes on civilian areas, hospitals, aid groups, and civil defense centers in Idlib and its countryside on Tuesday and Wednesday (19-20 September).

At least 106 airstrikes struck targets located far away from the sites of clashes, hitting the Orient Hospital, the civil defense center, the headquarters if the local council, and headquarters of the Free Syrian Army in the town of Kafranbel south of Idlib city. The airstrikes also targeted a hospital, a clinic and civil defense centers in the town of Khan Sheikoun, Shaam Hospital and Shaam Releif Foundation in the town of Haas, the maternity hospital in the town of Altih, two schools in the village of Marzita, and a school sheltering dozens of displaced persons in the village of Habeet.

These attacks, which we strongly condemn as they claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and wounded many more, including an entire family of five, indicate that the deliberate targeting, killing and displacement of civilians and the destruction of vital civilian facilities and hospitals has been the grand strategy of the Assad regime and its backers since day one.

The Coalition reiterates its condemnation of the targeting of civilians as it underscores that these attacks constitute war crimes that the international community must immediately put an end to and hold their perpetrators to account. Deliberate bombing of hospitals, schools and civilian areas is banned under international law regardless of any pretexts or justification.