Explosion in Syria's Idlib on May 12, 2018.
A total of 391 civilians, including 66 children, were killed in war-torn Syria last month, according to a Syrian NGO on Saturday.
In a statement, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said Syrian regime forces were responsible for the majority of the fatalities.
“Some 239 civilians were killed in regime attacks in August, including 13 children and eight women,” the SNHR said.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said the United States views the Syrian regime military assault on opposition-held Idlib as an escalation of the Syrian conflict, as the State Department warned that Washington would respond to any chemical attack by Damascus.The Syrian province of Idlib and surrounding areas are the last major enclave held by those who oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally. A source has told Reuters Assad is preparing a phased offensive to regain the province."The U.S sees this as an escalation of an already dangerous conflict," Pompeo said in a post on Twitter in which he also blasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for "defending (the) Syrian and Russian assault."'Turkey essential to preventing bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib’Lavrov said on Friday the Syrian government had every attack Idlib and that talks continued on establishing humanitarian corridors there.The State Department said the new U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, would travel to Israel, Jordan, and Turkey from Saturday to Tuesday on his first official trip abroad.Jeffrey and his delegation will "underscore that the United States will respond to any chemical weapons attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime," the State Department said in a statement.Turkey to take concrete steps to protect Syria’s IdlibThey will also "address Russia’s specious allegations of international plans to stage a chemical weapons attack in Syria," the statement said.The United Nations on Thursday called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to forestall a battle in Idlib which would affect millions of civilians and could see both militants and the government potentially using chlorine as a chemical weapon.Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, speaking after talks with Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday, said government forces will "go all the way" in the opposition-held northern region of Idlib, but that they did not have and would not use chemical weapons. Turkey working to prevent 'disaster' in Syria: Erdoğan
US sees assault on Idlib as escalation of Syria conflict: Pompeo
Russian forces, a main backer of the Bashar al-Assad regime, were responsible for the death of 36 civilians in Syria last month, it said.
Some 15 civilians were killed by the YPG/PKK terrorist group, including three children and three women, according to the SNHR.
Five children were among 12 civilians killed by the Daesh terrorist group in Syria last month while unidentified parties were responsible for the death of 88 civilians, including 25 children and 17 women, it added.
Residents of Syria’s northwestern city of Idlib are calling on Turkey to help ensure their security amid fears of an imminent assault by the Assad regime.Gathering after Friday prayers, residents of different districts of Idlib and western Aleppo marched through the streets holding banners written in English, Turkish and Arabic.“We have no friends except Allah and the Turks,” one banner read. “Assad and his allies are terrorists; Turkey is a source of peace,” read another.In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of the ongoing Astana process.Nevertheless, for the past two months, Idlib has remained the target of fierce air bombardments by Russia and Assad regime forces.“Idlib is a microcosm of Syria,” Ahmed Firas Allush, head of Idlib’s opposition-run local council, told Anadolu Agency.“We have continued to resist here,” he said. “And we will continue to resist to the last drop of blood.”Allush called on Turkey not to abandon Idlib, Syria’s last major opposition stronghold.“We would support Turkey’s entrance into the region to take it under its protection,” demonstrator Ahmed Islam told Anadolu Agency.“Millions will flee if the regime launches an assault,” he said. “It would be a bloodbath.”Galeri: Residents of Syria’s Idlib look to Turkey for security“We reject claims that terrorists are in Idlib,” Allush added. “Only civilians and displaced people live here.”Basel Hawwa, another demonstrator, said the aim of Friday’s rally was to urge the international community to intervene on Idlib’s behalf to prevent a feared regime assault.“Idlib should come under Turkish control, just like Afrin and Jarabalus,” Hawwa asserted, referring to two other cities in northern Syria where Turkish troops have been deployed.Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity.Germany warns of ‘catastrophe’ in Syria’s Idlib'Turkey essential to preventing bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib’Turkey to take concrete steps to protect Syria’s IdlibTurkish FM meets Syrian opposition head in Ankara
Residents of Syria’s Idlib look to Turkey for security
The rights group said a total of 6,036 civilians had been killed in war-torn Syria since January, going on to call on the international community to provide protection to civilians in war-torn Syria and bring the parties responsible for civilian deaths to justice..
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in the conflict, according to the UN.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuoğlu on Friday met with Syrian opposition head in the capital Ankara.“At our meeting with Nasr Al-Hariri, president of Syrian Negotiations Commission, we exchanged views on recent developments in Syria, including Idlib and also the period ahead concerning the political process,” Cavusoglu said in a tweet.In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of the ongoing Astana process.Nevertheless, for the past two months, Idlib has remained the target of fierce air bombardments by Russia and Assad regime forces.US moves against Turkey do not befit alliance, says FM'Turkey essential to preventing bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib’
Turkish FM meets Syrian opposition head in Ankara