Death toll rises to 10 in Russian airstrikes on Idlib; 32 injured

​​​​​​​By Ahmet Karaahmet, Mehmet Burak Karacaoglu

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - The death toll has risen to 10, with 32 injured, following Russian airstrikes in the Syrian northwestern province of Idlib, according to the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets).

The White Helmets reported that one strike targeted a carpentry workshop in the village of Ainshib.

In addition to the dead, the attack injured 32 others, who were transported to nearby hospitals, it said.

Three Russian warplanes took off from the Hmeymim Airbase in Latakia and conducted four airstrikes on Idlib around 5 p.m. local time (1400GMT) Tuesday, according to information from opposition-affiliated aircraft observers.

During the course of the last four days, Russia has conducted airstrikes on 27 different locations across Idlib.

- Situation in Idlib

In 2017, during the Astana talks, Türkiye, Russia and Iran agreed to establish four "de-escalation zones" in areas not controlled by the Syrian government.

The Syrian regime, backed by Iran-supported militants and Russia, however, continued assaults and seized three of the four zones, turning their focus toward Idlib.

Although Türkiye and Russia reached an additional agreement in September 2018 to reinforce a cease-fire, the violence intensified again in May 2019.

A new cease-fire deal was struck between Türkiye and Russia on March 5, 2020, and has been largely maintained.

Between 2017 and 2020, about 2 million civilians were displaced by the conflict and forced to migrate toward areas near the Turkish border.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul