Watan-The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that on Sunday, 5 civilians, including two children, were injured in an artillery bombardment by regime forces targeting the historic Grand Mosque and the market area near the high school in the town of Saraqib, east of the city of Idlib, which is controlled by the opposition.
The residents of the Syrian city experienced a state of panic after being targeted with a number of rockets, accompanied by the wailing sounds of alarms and the sirens of ambulances.
Activists confirmed that the bombardment involved internationally prohibited cluster munitions, as shown in circulated video clips.
إصابات بقصف الأسد وروسيا على إدلب مساء اليوم، القصف بالصواريخ العنقودية المحرمة دولياً pic.twitter.com/p1Q8hBFh9C
— قتيبة ياسين (@k7ybnd99) January 7, 2024
Assad’s air force targets the city of Idlib with cluster rockets
Cluster bombs are non-traditional internationally banned weapons, consisting of a container that releases a large number of smaller bomblets in the air, used to attack various targets such as armored vehicles, individuals, or to start fires.
One video captured by “Watan” showed an injured person in a health center with visible welts on his back from the internationally prohibited cluster bombs. Doctors were seen attempting to assist and treat him, addressing the injuries, including a head wound bleeding profusely.
In another scene, a civilian was seen cleaning up debris from the bombing on the balcony of a damaged house.
Ambulances were observed in another scene, with paramedics rushing to assist the injured in the streets. A voice could be heard saying, “Move, guys, in the strike,” indicating anticipation of another airstrike by Assad’s forces following each attack.
Horrifying scenes of the victims after the bombardment were captured in a video
In another video clip, a young girl with her head bandaged was seen sitting on a medical bed, trembling with fear and cold, crying intensely.
طفلة مصابة نتيجة قصف عصابات الاسد و ايران لمدينة إدلب قبل قليل pic.twitter.com/Qs7jgnhejH
— عمر مدنيه (@Omar_Madaniah) January 7, 2024
A third video documented the moment of the Syrians’ bombardment with internationally prohibited phosphorus rockets by the Assad regime and Iran-backed militias, according to the publishers. A white smoke cloud was visible filling the airspace.
In the distance, the signs of the cluster munition attack were evident. In the background of the video, next to a parked red car, a person could be heard repeatedly saying, “There is no god but Allah, please, Lord.” Questions were raised about the burning of an unidentified body. The video also captured the sounds of screams and calls for help near the targeted area.
لحظة قصف السوريين في مدينة إدلب بصواريخ الفوسفور المحرمة دولياً من قبل عصابات الاسد و ايران قبل قليل pic.twitter.com/falzAfTMJJ
— عمر مدنيه (@Omar_Madaniah) January 7, 2024
Several individuals appeared partially naked, running in panic in the street.
Dr. Hussein Bazzar, the Minister of Health in the Syrian Interim Government, stated: “The ministry recorded 8 injuries among civilians, mostly children and women, following the renewed criminal bombardment by the regime on residential neighborhoods in the cities of Idlib and Saraqib on Sunday evening.