Airstrikes kill at least 25 civilians in Idlib and Aleppo
- At least 25 civilians, including children and women, were killed in airstrikes in Syria.
- The violence marks a resurgence of fighting between the Syrian government and rebel forces.
- International leaders have called for de-escalation and emphasized the need for a political solution.
On December 1, 2024, in Syria, at least 25 civilians lost their lives due to renewed airstrikes launched by Russian and Syrian government forces on the cities of Idlib and Aleppo. According to the Syrian Civil Defense organization, known as the White Helmets, these attacks resulted in significant casualties, including 10 children and four women. This surge in violence came amidst intense fighting between the pro-Russian Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad and rebel factions, particularly the U.S.-designated Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Since the fighting escalated on Wednesday, the total death toll has reached 56, which includes a considerable number of children. The airstrikes particularly targeted civilian infrastructure, leading to tragic incidents such as an attack on the entrance to a university hospital in Aleppo, killing 12 individuals and injuring 23 others. The assaults have also caused significant damage to local properties, including a fire in an adjacent church, compounding the human tragedy as families are torn apart. Alongside these losses, many neighborhoods in Aleppo were also attacked, and a married couple was reportedly killed in eastern Aleppo, although their two children survived but sustained injuries. In total, the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 125 injuries on just that day, including 54 children and 39 women, all while the White Helmets continue to gather data on casualties. This upsurge in violence has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in a country ravaged by a protracted conflict that ignited in 2011. During this period, over 350,000 people have died and more than 14 million have been displaced. The war had reached a notably quieter phase following a ceasefire agreement brokered in 2020, but current hostilities suggest that the underlying tensions persist. In light of these developments, international parties including the United States, Britain, France, and Germany have called for de-escalation and urged all sides to protect civilians and infrastructure. They emphasized that the situation underscores an urgent need for a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict, as further violence only risks additional human suffering and disruption of crucial humanitarian access in the region.