Russian Airstrikes Kills Seven in North Syria’s Idlib

White Helmets claim all slain were civilians

Details are emerging on a new Russian airstrike against rebel-held Idlib in northern Syria. Seven were reported killed, with the White Helmets claiming all were civilians.

All White Helmet claims are taken with a pinch of salt, as they tend to offer statements that designed to carry a very specific pro-war narrative .

In this case, not only did they attack a rebel-held neighborhood, the statement claims Russia attacked an olive farm and that children were among the slain.

The area attacked is one of the last rebel-held areas in Syria, so its not surprising Russia is interested. Strikes on civilian targets would be very problematic, but in a White Helmet’s statement, everything is civilian.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.