Lavrov threatens terrorists in Idlib with crushing retaliation

Syrian and Russia armies will respond with “crushing retaliation” to any terrorist attack in Idlib, Syria, threatened Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Malian counterpart, Tiebile Drame in Moscow, Lavrov said terrorists systematically stage provocations and attack the positions of the Syrian army and communities and also the Russian air base, Hmeymim, with “multiple rocket systems and drones.”

The Turkish FM urged to separate Syria’s opposition from terrorist groups in the Idlib de-escalation zone, in line with the Sochi memorandum where an agreement was reached to separate the armed opposition from terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra.

“The major role in these efforts is to be played by Turkey. We insist that it must be done as soon as possible,” he stressed

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said eight people were killed within the de-escalation zone on Monday, including three fighters of al-Azza army after Russian warplanes carried out airstrikes on areas in the cities and towns of Khan Shaykhun.

Sources in the civil defense (White Helmets) reported that 6 civilians were killed and 39 others injured. Sources indicated they were killed by shelling on an agricultural field where workers were harvesting crops in the city of Khan Shaykhun and on a market in the town of Maaret Shorin in rural Idlib.

The attacks targeted the towns of Maar Shoreen, Khan Shaykhun, al-Tamanah and Sheikh Idris in the Idlib province and Hama province, in the towns of Ltamenah and Kafr Zayta, according to Anadolu Agency correspondent.

Air raids carried out by Russian warplanes since Monday morning reached 23, targeting Khan Shaykhun, al-Lataminah, Murak, Kafr Zita, al-Zakah, and Jibbin north of Hama.

In addition, raids carried out by the warplanes in Idlib and its southern and eastern suburbs rose to 65 in Kafr Zita, Jibbin, Tal Melh, and Murak in Hama’s northern countryside.

Moreover, over 48 barrels were dropped by helicopters after midnight on each of Kabana in the Kurds mountains, Abdeen, al-Rakaya, and al-Hbit in the southern countryside of Idlib.

The Observatory also reported that the number of rocket and artillery shells increased to 310, during which the regime targeted areas in al-Lataminah, Kafr Zita, Latmin and other places in the northern and northwestern Hama villages, as well as the Sahel Mountains and the southern sector of Idlib and Aleppo countryside.

With that, the number of people killed since the beginning of the most violent escalation in terms of aerial and ground bombardment, shelling, and targeting since de-escalation agreement is over 1400 between April 30 and June 10.

Source: Aawsat