Russia air raids, regime strikes in Syria kill at least 21
November 21, 2019, 10:00 am

Russia air raids, regime strikes in Syria kill at least 21

A member of the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) carries a young victim after a reported Russian airstrike on Maaret al-Numan on November 20, 2019. (AFP)

Attacks by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and air raids by his ally Russia killed at least 21 civilians including 10 children in opposition-held Idlib province on Wednesday, a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, in an updated toll, said a ground-to-ground missile fired by regime forces that hit a makeshift camp for the displaced near Qah village close to the border with Turkey killed 15 civilians, including six children, and wounded around 40 others.

The missile crashed near a maternity facility in the camp, it said.

Elsewhere, “Russian military aircraft” targeted the town of Maaret al-Numan in the south of the province, the Observatory said, and “six civilians were killed, among them four children.”

A number of people were wounded in the raid, some “in a critical state,” and the toll there was likely to rise, the Britain-based monitor’s head Rami Abdel Rahman reported.

A photographer who works with AFP saw rescue workers retrieve the dust-covered body of a girl from debris and place her in an ambulance.

The northwestern Idlib region is dominated by extremists of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS), formerly the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda terrorist organization.

Most of Idlib province remains out of the control of the Syrian regime, as do adjacent areas of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces.

These areas are also home to other extremist groups and militants.

The Observatory has a wide network of sources on the ground and determines those responsible for such raids by the type of aircraft and weaponry used, as well as their flight plan.

Between the end of April and the end of August, Idlib was pounded ceaselessly by Syrian soldiers backed by Russian air power.

The Observatory estimates that nearly 1,000 civilians were killed in that period, and the UN says that more than 400,000 people were displaced.

Moscow announced a ceasefire at the end of August, but the Observatory says there have been sporadic attacks since then, and that dozens of civilians have been killed.

On October 22, in his first visit to the embattled northwestern region since 2011, Assad said defeating extremists there was the key to ending the country’s eight-year-old civil war.

The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions.

Source : AFP

Iran’s IRGC praises army’s ‘timely’ crackdown against ‘rioters’ Two protesters killed in renewed clashes with security forces in Baghdad

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”