12 dead, dozens wounded in air strikes on Syria markets: reports

At least 12 civilians including two children were killed and dozens more wounded on Tuesday in air strikes that hit food markets in two northwestern Syrian towns, a monitor said.

“At least seven civilians including a child were killed in raids on a fish market in Kafranbel and five others - also including a child - died in similar strikes on a vegetable market in Maaret al-Numan” in Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that the strikes were likely carried out by regime forces. Syria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front is present across much of Idlib province and recently made inroads into Maaret al-Numan.

Elsewhere in the province, the Observatory said that three children were killed in shelling by Islamist rebels on the government-held village of Kafraya.

In Damascus province, at least seven people were killed in strikes on Bala, in the rebel-stronghold region of Eastern Ghouta, the monitor added.

A ceasefire deal agreed between the US and Russia, which came into effect in February, excludes areas controlled by Al-Nusra and the Islamic State group. The truce however has been strained by increased fighting around Aleppo and other parts of Syria.