Warplanes strike radical rebel posts in Syria's Idlib

Warplanes struck areas under the control of an extremist group in the northwestern province of Idlib on Sunday, opposition activists reported.

The warplanes are believed to be with the U.S. anti-terrorism coalition.

The opposing Qasioun news outlet said the U.S.-led warplanes struck a post belonging to the Jund al-Aqsa group in the Nayrab area in Idlib's countryside, causing unknown losses.

Jund al-Aqsa pledged allegiance with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, a terrorist group recognized by the United Nations (UN).

The al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front recently changed its name to the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in a bid to divert attention away from its ties with al-Qaida.

The warplanes also struck other areas in Nayrab, targeting a poultry farm as well as areas where displaced people were residing, causing causalities including women and children buried under the rubble, according to the report.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the report, yet stopped short of identifying who was responsible for it.

However, it said that a warplane killed a rebel commander after targeting his car in the Akrabat area in the northern countryside of Idlib.

It added that the commander was an Arab national, without further details.

The observatory relies on a network of on ground activists.

It stated that 134 rebels and commanders have been killed since the beginning of January by warplanes in northern Syria. Endit