25 killed in airstrikes targeting Syrian rebels

REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE | Iranian-backed Iraqi militias were sent overnight to help counter the insurgency

At least 25 people were killed on Monday as airstrikes conducted by the Syrian government and Russia pummelled northern Syria, according to the Syrian opposition-run rescue service known as the White Helmets said early on Monday. Residents said one attack hit a crowded residential area in the centre of Idlib, the largest city in a rebel enclave near the Turkish border where around four million people live in makeshift tents and dwellings.

At least seven people were killed and dozens injured, according to rescuers at the scene. The Syrian army and its ally Russia say they target the hideouts of insurgent groups and deny attacking civilians. The Syrian army also said that it has re-captured several rebel-held towns in recent days.