Local sources reported that between seven and 22 civilians including a child and a volunteer with the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) were killed, and between 50 and 80 were injured, with most of them in critical conditions, when allegedly Russian forces or Syrian regime forces allegedly targeted with airstrikes the busy local market (Souq al-Hal) and the industrial area in Idlib, Syria on January 15th, 2020. The airstrikes also caused damage to civilians’ properties.
This happened four days after Russia and the Syrian regime declared a ceasefire in Idlib.
According to Shaam News, “Russian and Asad warplanes and helicopters launched intense and violent airstrikes. This appears to be the announcement of the end of the fragile truce that lasted only four days, as the aircraft committed a massacre in the city of Idlib, killing 19 martyrs and injuring dozens, among them women and children”.
Abdul Qadir Muhammad Rajab, Obaida Qutai’, Ahmed Muhammad Aswad, Adnan Sheikhouni, Maher Sheikhouni, Muhammad Shadi al-Asaad, Ali Muhammad Ali Al-Atrash, Omar Na`es, Alaa Al-Muhammad, Omar Zidan, Zakaria La’la’, Ahmed Al-Zein and Farouk Afara were killed in the incident.
The Syrian Civil Defense in Idlib said “Today, January 15th, 2020, we say goodbye to our hero Volunteer “Shadi al-Asaad”, as a martyr after Idlib attacks by Assad’s warplanes. After years of sacrifice, we will not forget your work, your words and all the beautiful memories with you. Rest in peace.”
Edlib Media Center posted saying “There are dozens of martyrs and wounded due to raids by the war regime on Idlib city.” The source later updated the numbers raising the death toll to “19 martyrs and dozens of wounded” – killed by “missiles from warplanes”.
Also according to SMART Agency “The head of the Documentation and Information Department of a hospital in Idlib city, Abdul Razzaq Ghafir, said that 19 civilians, including a child and a civil defense member were killed and 70 others, including children and women, were wounded in an initial outcome, as a result of shelling by regime warplanes on the industrial area in the eastern side of Idlib.”
The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “Syrian regime fixed- wing warplanes fired missiles on the industrial area in east of Idlib city, causing a massacre and severely destroying a number of the industrial shops, on January 15th.” @HadiAlabdallah added that strikes also occurred at Al-Hal Market. @shamalmjd1 also referred to Souq al-Hal and al-Sina’a neighborhood as being affected by the bombing.
Syrian Human Rights Committee provided details that “Hal Market, which sells vegetables and fruits in bulk; It is located near the well-known Mihrab roundabout in Idlib city, and is a few meters away from the industrial area. The industrial area is densely populated, while Souq al-Hal is a non-residential area, but it was crowded and at peak time when the bombing occurred. The bombing led to significant material damage to the shops in the market, and the industrial ones in the industrial area.”
@Mamoun_sy, @ShahbaPress and @so_ria98 blamed Russia for the incident, while Macro Media Center, Syrian Civil Defense Idlib, SMART agency and the Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to the Syrian regime. Shaam News and @mohmad_rasheed blamed both.
The incident occured in the afternoon.
