Russian and al-Assad air strikes kill 19 civilians in rebel-held villages in Syria

Russian and al-Assad air strikes have killed 19 civilians in rebel-held villages in Syria leaving rescue workers to sift through the rubble to try and find survivors.

The air raids hit the jihadist-run northwestern region of Idlib, in the country’s last major opposition bastion, earlier today.

The attacks by regime ally Russia killed four civilians including a child in the village of Al-Bara in the south of the region, according to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The air raids hit the jihadist-run northwestern region of Idlib, in the country’s last major opposition bastion, earlier today. Pictured: A member of the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, carries away a victim wrapped in a blanket

Several others were wounded at the sites of the strikes and rescue workers (pictured) were forced to pick through the rubble of buildings that had collapsed

They also killed nine civilians including three children in the nearby village of Balyun.

Crude barrel bombs dropped by government helicopters killed five civilians including three children in the village of Abadeeta, also in the same area.

And in the southeast of the embattled region, a raid by a regime aircraft killed another child in the village of Bajghas.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights determines the provenance of air strikes by looking at flight patterns and the aircraft and munitions involved. Pictured: Devastation caused by the air strikes in Balyun

Civil Defense workers evacuate a victim from site of airstrikes in the village of Balyoun in Idlib province

Pictured: Rubble of a building after a reported Russian airstrike that killed 19 people in the area

Several others were wounded at the sites of the strikes.

Rescue workers, including members of the Syrian Civil Defence also known as the White Helmets, were forced to pick through the rubble of buildings that had collapsed. 

The Observatory, which is a Britain-based monitor that relies on a network of sources inside Syria, said that it determines the provenance of an air strike by looking at flight patterns and the aircraft and munitions involved.

The Idlib region, which is home to some three million people including many displaced by Syria’s civil war, is controlled by the country’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate 

A ceasefire announced by Moscow has largely held since late August but the Observatory says deadly bombardment and skirmishes have persisted with more than 200 civilians killed in the region since the deal

The Idlib region, which is home to some three million people including many displaced by Syria’s civil war, is controlled by the country’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

The Damascus regime has repeatedly vowed to take back control of Idlib.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces launched a blistering military campaign against the region in April, killing around 1,000 civilians and displacing more than 400,000 people from their homes.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces launched a blistering military campaign against the region in April, killing around 1,000 civilians and displacing more than 400,000 people from their homes

Syria’s war has killed over 370,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since beginning in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protest

A ceasefire announced by Moscow has largely held since late August.

But the Observatory says deadly bombardment and skirmishes have persisted with more than 200 civilians killed in the region since the deal.

Syria’s war has killed over 370,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since beginning in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests.