A 20-year-old woman identified as Noura Abdul Hamid al-Ahmar, from Ma’ar Ballit village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, was killed on April 25, 2023, in shelling by Syrian regime artillery forces who fired multiple shells at the village, one of which hit a residential house in the village centre. The shelling also injured four civilians from the same family, including two girls, one of them an infant.
The area, which is under the joint control of armed opposition factions and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is located near the dividing lines with territories controlled by Syrian regime forces.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) condemns the bombardment of populated areas by Syrian regime forces. It should be noted that, through this and similar attacks, Syrian regime forces have unequivocally violated Security Council resolutions 2139 & 2254, both of which categorically prohibit indiscriminate attacks, as well as violating the rules of international humanitarian law on distinguishing between civilians and fighters. Such attacks aim solely to spread fear and panic among civilians, drive them from their lands and homes, and forcibly displace them. It is estimated that 6.5 million people are currently internally displaced in Syria.
The international community must put pressure on the Syrian regime and its allies to compensate the displaced victims, repair the damaged homes and civilian facilities, and support a process of political transition. Pressure should be applied to compel all parties to launch such a transition within a period of no more than six months, so that millions of displaced people can have a safe and stable return to their homes.
