5 civilians killed by regime shelling in NW Syria

By Esref Musa and Burak Karacaoglu</p> <p>IDLIB, Syria (AA) – At least five civilians were killed in artillery shelling by Bashar al-Assad regime forces and Iran-backed militias in northwest Syria on Saturday, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.</p> <p>The attacks targeted the city of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib and northern regions of Hama, said Mustafa Haj Yousuf, the White Helmets official in Idlib.</p> <p>He said four other civilians were also injured in the shelling.</p> <p>Regime attacks in the de-escalation zone of Idlib are estimated to have killed at least 80 civilians and injured more than 200 people since the start of this year.</p> <p>The attacks in the southeast Idlib have led to a new movement of migration from Khan Shaykhun and Maaret al-Numan.</p> <p>Since February, nearly 6,900 families have migrated to safe areas and camps near to Turkey's border.</p> <p>Located in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” in May where acts of aggression are expressly forbidden.</p> <p>Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity.