Russian Jets Pound Syria’s Idlib for Fourth Time in 2021

Laying the foundation stone for a school in the name of a Turkish officer in northern Syria (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
Laying the foundation stone for a school in the name of a Turkish officer in northern Syria (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
TT
20

Russian Jets Pound Syria’s Idlib for Fourth Time in 2021

Laying the foundation stone for a school in the name of a Turkish officer in northern Syria (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
Laying the foundation stone for a school in the name of a Turkish officer in northern Syria (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)

Russian jets on Tuesday pounded Syrian opposition posts in the war-torn country’s northern Idlib province. The airstrikes targeted the town of Al-Bara, located in Idlib’s southern countryside, reported the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based war monitor also confirmed that Russian warplanes remain scrambled across the targeted area’s sky.

On February 3, activists confirmed that Russian jets executed several airstrikes using high-explosive missiles on several positions nearby Armanaz town in the western countryside of Idlib. The attack injured several members of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Meanwhile, reconnaissance drones were seen flying over the area.

The recent Russian airstrikes follow a Tuesday attack staged by opposition factions from the “Manifest Victory” operation command center against Syrian regime forces in Jabal al-Zawya area in Idlib’s southern countryside.

Regime forces, for their part, shelled multiple areas south of Idlib city. Among the spots targeted were Al-Fatira, Safohin, Benin, Ruwayha, and the outskirts of al-Bara and Fulayfel.

According to the Observatory, no casualties were reported.

Observatory sources also documented renewed rocket attacks by regime forces in the early hours of Monday morning targeting opposition outposts in Al-Fatira, Safohin, Al-Bara, Kansafra, and Fulayfel in the southern countryside of Idlib.

Areas in northwestern areas of Hama province were also attacked by regime forces.

Accompanying the attacks, reconnaissance drones were seen flying over the Russian-Turkish de-escalation zone.

Field activist Suhaib Al-Idlibi confirmed Russian warplanes striking in the vicinity of the city of Al-Bara, south of Idlib.

Damage from the raids, according to Idlibi, was limited to material losses.

Another field activist, Omar Al-Mohammed, reported that regime forces shelled on Tuesday morning opposition-held areas east and south of Idlib. They mainly fired rounds of heavy artillery and rockets against the Deir Sinbul areas and the villages of Benin, Bzabour, and Shnan.

In Bzabour, a civilian was killed and devastating material damage was inflicted on locals.



Macron to Hold Gaza Summit with Egyptian, Jordanian Leaders

 French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a meeting with representatives of the sectors affected by new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a meeting with representatives of the sectors affected by new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)
TT
20

Macron to Hold Gaza Summit with Egyptian, Jordanian Leaders

 French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a meeting with representatives of the sectors affected by new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a meeting with representatives of the sectors affected by new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said he would hold a trilateral summit on the situation in Gaza with Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

Israel has pushed to seize territory in Gaza since the collapse of a short-lived truce in its war with Hamas, in what it has called a strategy to force the group to free hostages still in captivity.

Simultaneously, Israel has escalated attacks on Lebanon and Syria.

"In response to the Gaza emergency and during my visit to Egypt at President al-Sisi's invitation, we will hold a trilateral summit with the Egyptian president and the King of Jordan," Macron wrote on X ahead of his trip.

The French president is expected in Cairo on Sunday evening, where he will hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart on Monday morning.

The trilateral summit will be held the same day in the Egyptian capital, according to Macron's office.

On Tuesday, Macron will also visit the Egyptian port of El-Arish, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip, to meet humanitarian and security workers and demonstrate his "constant mobilization in favor of a ceasefire".

El-Arish is a transit point for international aid intended for Gaza.