Syrian gov’t shelling in Idlib kills seven members of same family

Military has stepped up bombing of rebel-held northwest since President al-Assad was sworn in for a new term last week.

Syrian government artillery shells struck a village in the last rebel enclave in the country on Thursday, killing seven members of the same family, including four children, rescue workers and a war monitor said. The shelling is part of an ongoing military escalation in the area in northwestern Syria, which had been under a ceasefire sponsored by Russia and Turkey since last year. So far it is unclear what caused the escalation, which prior to the attack had already killed at least 17 children this month, according to figures confirmed by the UN children’s agency, UNICEF.