Two killed in regime airstrikes in Syria's Idlib province

At least two people were killed on Tuesday morning in another bought of airstrikes by the Syrian regime in Idlib in northern Syria, local sources said.

This follows a recent intensification of airstrikes in Idlib, one of the last remaining territories held by rebel groups.

Airstrikes targeted houses in Khan Sheikhoun, the site of a deadly 2017 chemical attack which killed at least 80 people, and the village of Khan al-Sibil, killing at least two women and injuring more than 20 other civilians, a member of the White Helmets told The New Arab's Arabic service.

The death toll was likely to increase as many were critically injured in the early morning bombardments, the source said.

Idlib is covered by a ceasefire zone agreed between Russia and Turkey last year, which has seen airstrikes and shelling on the province - packed with hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees living in camps - greatly reduced.

The takeover of Idlib by al-Qaeda linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra,  has seen Russia and the Syrian regime issue new threats against the province, with the hardline militant group not considered to be part of the truce agreement by Moscow.

HTS captured all of Idlib province from rebel groups in January, announcing that the affiliated Salvation Government would administer the areas, sparking fears from civilians that regime and Russian bombardments would resume.

At least four people were killed on Monday in Idlib in regime airstrikes.

56 civilians, including 25 children, have been killed by intensified regime airstrikes over the past two weeks in Idlib, according to the White Helmets.