(Previous Incident Code: R4670)

During the day on April 26, 2024, heavy artillery and missile shelling allegedly carried out by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian forces and/or Iranian forces injured between two and 10 civilians, including at least two children. The incident occurred in a residential area within the city of Jericho, south of Idlib.

A Facebook post by Faisal Mohammed reported that two siblings, Abdullah Mohammadi and Zainab Mohammadi, both children, were injured by the shelling. Sources contest the number of injured. According to Facebook user @FaisalMohammed, four children were injured, although this figure was described as preliminary. The Idlibiya Diaries, another source, reported that ten people, mostly children, were injured, whilst also noting that this number remains a preliminary estimate. However, the official White Helmets account on X.com (formerly Twitter), discussed their inspection of the struck area, which confirmed that “no other casualties occurred” other than the injuries sustained by the two children, Zainab and Abdullah Mohammadi.

Following the shelling, both children were taken for medical treatment, during which they were seen to console each other despite their own sustained injuries, showcasing their remarkable bravery. Both children look to be younger than 10 years old and are seen in pictures covered in blood, with Abdullah’s head covered in a bandage for an apparent head injury. A third child is pictured covered in blood in an image posted by Jericho News.

Residential buildings were also damaged, according to the Syrian Civil Defence and Al-Jazeera.

Although all sources allege that the Syrian regime was responsible for the shelling, three sources, including the Syrian Civil Defence (also known as the “White Helmets”), also highlight the involvement of Russian forces. Additionally, another two sources, including Facebook user Saroti Halabi, pointed to Iranian militias, alongside the Syrian regime, as responsible for this shelling incident.