Syrian government air strikes killed 15 civilians on Tuesday, as militant groups were reported to have launched a series of three attacks on the regime's troops.
At least 12 people were killed in a midnight strike on a market in the militant-held town of Maarat Al Numan in Idlib province, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Three others were killed in two separate strikes on Wednesday, it said.
Syrian government forces repelled three large attacks in Idlib, Russia's Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday through its state-backed news agencies.
Some 500 militants from Hayat Tahrir Al Sham – who are a coalition of smaller groups, the largest of which is the Nusra Front, a former Al Qaeda affiliate – supported by seven tanks and 30 armed pickup trucks launched the attacks they said.
The defence ministry said 150 militants were killed and three tanks and 24 of the trucks destroyed in the attack. But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights placed the number at 52.
Fighting took place in an internationally agreed buffer zone, brokered between Turkey and Russia in September last year. The zone was agreed to avoid a slaughter from a government offensive in the region, protecting the lives of three million residents.
Militants launched a failed missile attack on Russia's Hmeymim air base, the Russian ministry said.
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's government, with the support of Russia, has upped its bombardment of Idlib after militant coalition HTS took control of the area in January.
On Tuesday, the US State Department was assessing whether the Syrian government had used chemical weapons on Sunday during its offensive in Idlib.
HTS accused government forces of launching a chlorine gas attack on its fighters in the northern mountains of Latakia – the only part of the coastal province that is not firmly in the hands of the government.
The French foreign ministry said on Wednesday the accusations must be looked into.
"We have noted with a degree of alarm these allegations, which need to be looked into," the foreign ministry said in an online press briefing.
But the Observatory said on Wednesday it had no evidence to suggest the Syrian army had carried out a new chemical attack.
"We have no proof at all of the attack," Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman said.
"We have not documented any chemical attack in the mountains of Latakia," he told AFP.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
