Following blasts in Damascus on Wednesday that killed at least 14 Iranian officers, another 10 people – including four children and a woman – were killed by government shelling of a town in the last rebel enclave in the country's northwest on Wednesday afternoon.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Cutts described as "shocking" the reports of the shelling that hit a market and roads near schools as students were heading to classes.
In addition to the four children killed, their teacher also died, according to UNICEF, the UN children's agency.
"Today's violence is yet another reminder that the war in Syria has not come to an end. Civilians, among them many children, keep bearing the brunt of a brutal decade-long conflict," the agency said. "Attacks on civilians including children are a violation of international humanitarian law."
The attack was one of the most violent in the area since a March 2020 truce in the northwest negotiated by Turkey and Russia – allies of the opposition and Syrian government, respectively. The truce has been repeatedly violated, and government forces often vow to take territories still out of their control.
In the central city of Hama, meanwhile, an explosion at an arms depot left six pro-government fighters dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. The pro-government Sham FM radio station also reported that six fighters were killed in a depot explosion but did not give a location.
While fighting still rages in the northwest, Assad's forces now control much of Syria after military support from his allies Russia and Iran helped tip the balance of power in his favor. US and Turkish troops, meanwhile, are deployed in part's of the country's north.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
