Russia-backed Syrian forces found Abu Abdo and family this week in Khan Sheikhoun, a town which almost all other residents had fled during shelling in an offensive to take the area from rebel fighters.&nbsp;

"The last month was very bad. We couldn't stand by the door because of the shelling ... We couldn't go anywhere," 55-year-old Abu Abdo told Reuters.&nbsp;

He said he was one of only around three families that stayed in the town through the offensive while all other civilians fled north, away from the shelling.&nbsp;

"When the army came they opened the door of the house and entered, thinking no one was here. But when they saw us they were very respectful and asked us what we needed," he said from his house which had a couple of shell holes in the walls.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-calls-for-immediate-end-to-fighting-in-syrian-city-of-idlib-243718">Khan Sheikhoun</a> was one of the towns lost early in the eight-year-old war to rebels opposed to the rule of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-calls-for-immediate-end-to-fighting-in-syrian-city-of-idlib-243718">Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.</a>&nbsp;

On Friday the Syrian army said it had taken it back, along with a handful of other settlements.

"The fighters ran away a day before the army entered. There was a huge number of fighters here," Abu Abdo said, referring to the rebels.&nbsp;

A renewed push by Syrian government and Russian forces to take the area has seen heavy strikes and advances this week in the south of Idlib province and nearby Hama, prompting a civilian exodus.&nbsp;

Hundreds of people have been killed in the campaign since late April and more than 500,000 people have been displaced, the United Nations said.

"The operation (to take Khan Sheikhoun) was difficult. The rebels were holed up for a month under heavy, continuous bombardment. Which caused them to withdraw to the north," a military official said.&nbsp;

Scattered around the town were signs with white writing on black backgrounds reading: "There is no other god but God", "Singing is forbidden", and "Syria is the land of jihad and guarding the borders."&nbsp;

A Reuters team travelled to Khan Sheikhoun up a newly opened and de-mined part of the main south-north highway which once connected the capital Damascus to Aleppo.&nbsp;

The sound of planes and distant explosions could still be heard in the large town in south Idlib province, heavily damaged by repeated aerial campaigns.

Khan Sheikhoun made headlines in 2017. Nearly 100 people died when the town was bombed with sarin poison gas.&nbsp;

One of the deadliest chemical weapons attacks of the war, it prompted a US missile strike against a Syrian airbase.

Russia-backed Syrian forces found Abu Abdo and family this week in Khan Sheikhoun, a town which almost all other residents had fled during shelling in an offensive to take the area from rebel fighters.

Russia-backed Syrian forces found Abu Abdo and family this week in Khan Sheikhoun, a town which almost all other residents had fled during shelling in an offensive to take the area from rebel fighters. "The last month was very bad. We couldn't stand by the door because of the shelling ... We couldn't go anywhere," 55-year-old Abu Abdo told Reuters. He said he was one of only around three families that stayed in the town through the offensive while all other civilians fled north, away from the shelling. "When the army came they opened the door of the house and entered, thinking no one was here. But when they saw us they were very respectful and asked us what we needed," he said from his house which had a couple of shell holes in the walls. Khan Sheikhoun was one of the towns lost early in the eight-year-old war to rebels opposed to the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. On Friday the Syrian army said it had taken it back, along with a handful of other settlements. "The fighters ran away a day before the army entered. There was a huge number of fighters here," Abu Abdo said, referring to the rebels. A renewed push by Syrian government and Russian forces to take the area has seen heavy strikes and advances this week in the south of Idlib province and nearby Hama, prompting a civilian exodus. Hundreds of people have been killed in the campaign since late April and more than 500,000 people have been displaced, the United Nations said. "The operation (to take Khan Sheikhoun) was difficult. The rebels were holed up for a month under heavy, continuous bombardment. Which caused them to withdraw to the north," a military official said. Scattered around the town were signs with white writing on black backgrounds reading: "There is no other god but God", "Singing is forbidden", and "Syria is the land of jihad and guarding the borders." A Reuters team travelled to Khan Sheikhoun up a newly opened and de-mined part of the main south-north highway which once connected the capital Damascus to Aleppo. The sound of planes and distant explosions could still be heard in the large town in south Idlib province, heavily damaged by repeated aerial campaigns. Khan Sheikhoun made headlines in 2017. Nearly 100 people died when the town was bombed with sarin poison gas. One of the deadliest chemical weapons attacks of the war, it prompted a US missile strike against a Syrian airbase.

Family stayed in Syrian town during offensive as rebels ousted

Fourteen civilians, including six children and infants, were killed Saturday in air strikes in northwest Syria, targeted for months now by deadly regime and Russian bombardment, a monitor said.

Most of the children were among civilians killed when Russian aircraft raided an informal camp of internally displaced Syrians after midnight Friday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The camp near the town of Khan Sheikhoun, in Idlib region, houses Syrians who had fled raids and clashes in neighbouring Hama province.

Hours later a man and his heavily pregnant wife were killed in the eastern Idlib town of Kefraya in air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft, the Britain-based Observatory said.&nbsp;

White Helmets volunteers found the bodies of the dead woman, and her well-formed baby lying next to her open stomach the umbilical cord still attached, an AFP correspondent said.

In the north of Hama province, three civilians including a child were killed by artillery fire, the Observatory said.

Russian and Syrian regime aircraft have ramped up strikes on Idlib since the end of April, killing more than 590 civilians, while 45 others have perished from rebel fire, according to the Observatory.

Regime forces have also been locked in battle with jihadists and allied rebels on the edges of the bastion, which is held by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), including the north of Hama province.

Idlib and its surrounding areas are supposed to be protected from a massive regime offensive by a September 2018 deal between Russia and rebel backer Turkey.

A buffer zone planned under that accord was never fully implemented, and the region has seen an uptick in violence.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

Fourteen civilians, including six children and infants, were killed Saturday in air strikes in northwest Syria, targeted for months now by deadly regime and Russian bombardment, a monitor said.

Fourteen civilians, including six children and infants, were killed Saturday in air strikes in northwest Syria, targeted for months now by deadly regime and Russian bombardment, a monitor said. Most of the children were among civilians killed when Russian aircraft raided an informal camp of internally displaced Syrians after midnight Friday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The camp near the town of Khan Sheikhoun, in Idlib region, houses Syrians who had fled raids and clashes in neighbouring Hama province. Hours later a man and his heavily pregnant wife were killed in the eastern Idlib town of Kefraya in air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft, the Britain-based Observatory said. White Helmets volunteers found the bodies of the dead woman, and her well-formed baby lying next to her open stomach the umbilical cord still attached, an AFP correspondent said. In the north of Hama province, three civilians including a child were killed by artillery fire, the Observatory said. Russian and Syrian regime aircraft have ramped up strikes on Idlib since the end of April, killing more than 590 civilians, while 45 others have perished from rebel fire, according to the Observatory. Regime forces have also been locked in battle with jihadists and allied rebels on the edges of the bastion, which is held by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), including the north of Hama province. Idlib and its surrounding areas are supposed to be protected from a massive regime offensive by a September 2018 deal between Russia and rebel backer Turkey. A buffer zone planned under that accord was never fully implemented, and the region has seen an uptick in violence. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

Children among 14 civilians killed in Syria strikes

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Family stayed in Syrian town during offensive as rebels ousted

Children among 14 civilians killed in Syria strikes