Regime forces targeted civilian homes in the village of Mantaf, south of Idlib, with four suicide drones this morning, Thursday, July 25, marking the third such attack this week.

A correspondent from Enab Baladi in Idlib reported that the drone attack did not result in civilian casualties, only material damage.

Activists on social media circulated videos of the attack site, showing a damaged car they claimed belonged to a civilian.

The attacks on northwestern Syria in recent days have not been limited to drones. Artillery shelling from areas jointly controlled by regime forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) targeted the town of Anab in the Afrin countryside, north of Aleppo, late Wednesday night, July 24.

Artillery shelling by regime forces on Tuesday also targeted civilian homes in the town of al-Nairab, east of Idlib.

Another artillery shelling by regime forces on Sunday, July 21, targeted residential neighborhoods in the villages of al-Bara and Kansafra in the southern Idlib countryside.

According to the Syria Civil Defence rescue agency, the artillery shelling did not result in casualties but caused material damage.

Escalation in attacks

The Syrian regime and Russia have intensified their drone attacks on northern Syria.

On Wednesday, a suicide drone originating from regime forces exploded inside a residential house in the village of Taqad, west of Aleppo, causing a room to collapse without casualties.

The most extensive attack occurred on Sunday, July 21, when 13 suicide drones targeted civilian cars, including a bread delivery vehicle, a well-drilling machine, homes, and agricultural lands in the town of al-Nairab and the outskirts of the city of Sarmin, resulting in material losses.

The Syria Civil Defence (White Helmets) documented 41 suicide drone attacks by the regime and Russia targeting civilian areas during the first four months of this year.

These attacks resulted in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to 18 others, including a woman and four children.

The attacks also caused significant material damage to civilian property, particularly depriving them of harvesting their crops for fear of being targeted by these drones.

Previous warning

“Observatory 80,” specializing in monitoring military movements, warned civilians in northern Syria living in villages and towns near frontlines to be vigilant and cautious of (FPV) suicide drones.

The observatory called for restricting movement, avoiding gatherings, and hiding vehicles.

An FPV drone operator controls the drone with a remote control and views the area around the drone in real-time through special goggles, as if sitting inside the drone itself, similar to a pilot, according to the military news and industry website “Militarnyi.”

According to a statement from the Civil Defence dated July 8, 2024, drone attacks are concentrated in areas close to the frontlines in the countryside of Hama, Aleppo, and Idlib, with an increasing frequency and reaching greater distances, documenting their arrival up to nine kilometers from the frontlines.

On July 11, 2024, the UK condemned the Syrian regime’s escalation in using suicide drones to target civilians in northwestern Syria, calling for the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity to be held accountable.