Syrian regime and Russian 'double tap' airstrikes kill civilians, rescue workers in Idlib

The two civil defence workers, known as the White Helmets, were killed after Russian airstrikes hit their ambulance in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The rescue group said a "double-tap attack" by Russian warplanes had "targeted" rescue workers repeatedly as they were evacuating injured civilians from the town.

Five other volunteers were also wounded, the group said.

The latest attack came nearly one week after regime airstrikes on an ambulance in the town of Maaret al-Numan killed three rescue workers. 

"The world continues to fail to protect us and other humanitarian workers," the group said in a statement on social media.

Seven other civilians were killed Wednesday in a series of regime air strikes on several parts of the Idlib region, which is home to around three million people, the Britain-based war monitor said. 

One more civilian succumbed to wounds sustained days ago during regime air strikes on Khan Sheikhoun, it said. 

In the north of nearby Hama province, rebels rocket fire reportedly killed one girl on Wednesday, state news agency SANA said. 

Idlib and parts of neighbouring Hama, Aleppo and Latakia provinces were supposed to be protected by a buffer zone under a September agreement between Russia and Turkey.

Since late April, more than 460 civilians have been killed in regime or Russian bombardment in the area, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The violence has forced around 330,000 people to flee their homes and hit 23 health centres, the United Nations says.

The conflict in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of protests against President Bashar al-Assad.