Syrian warplanes pound militant positions in Idlib

Syrian warplanes have reportedly launched airstrikes against foreign-backed insurgents attacking military bases in the northwestern province of Idlib.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the warplanes have pounded areas in the town of Maarrat al-Nu’man on Tuesday as clashes between troops and militants raged on.

According to the London-based opposition group, the government forces also bombed Maarshamsha and Deir al-Sharqi areas in the Maarrat al-Nu’man region, causing casualties.

The airstrikes come a day after insurgents began an assault against the Wadi Deif and Hamidiyeh military bases in Idlib.

Syria has been plagued by unrelenting militancy since March 2011. Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are widely believed to be backing the insurgents operating inside Syria.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions of others displaced in the violence.

In a recent statement, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said the number of Syrian refugees, who have fled the country’s conflict, reached two million.

The world body also said some 4.2 million people have been displaced inside Syria since the beginning of the conflict in the Arab country.