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Conflict in Syria

Militant shelling kills 28 civilians in Syria’s Aleppo

Another 56 civilians had suffered wounds

ALEPPO /Syria/, January 18. /TASS/. Illegal armed units continue to shell the Syrian city of Aleppo, where 28 civilians were killed in the past three days, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria said in a statement, adding that another 56 civilians had suffered wounds.

According to the center, attacks keep coming from areas in the Idlib province that are still controlled by militants.

"As many as 18 people were brought here and three of them died because they had suffered fatal wounds. Some underwent surgery and others received outpatient care," the head of the surgical department at a local hospital told reporters.

The Aleppo province is part of the Idlib de-escalation zone, where military activities were halted on January 9 based on an agreement with Turkey.

Syrian de-escalation zones

Four de-escalation zones were set up in Syria in May 2017 in accordance with a decision made by Russia, Iran and Turkey - the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire. The four zones include the Idlib Province, certain parts of neighboring areas in the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, as well as some areas in the Daraa and Quneitra provinces in southern Syria. Damascus took control of three of the four zones in 2018, but the fourth one, which covers the Idlib province and certain parts of the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, is still controlled by terrorists from the Jabhat al-Nusra terror group (outlawed in Russia).

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