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AFP
Protesters in the city of Idlib called for international assistance to end the planned offensive
Russian warplanes have launched new strikes on the Syrian province of Idlib, according to one official, while negotiations in Tehran have failed to stop an imminent military offensive.
The raids targeted rebel-held positions in southwestern Idlib, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Syrian forces, backed by Russia and Iran, are on the verge of attacking the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.
Turkey and others warned of an imminent humanitarian disaster.
In the province itself, thousands of people staged street demonstrations after Friday prayers, calling for international protection.
In a social media film, a protester in the city of Al-Dana said he demanded that the UN "stop the Syrian massacre."
What is the last military action?
The observatory said that Russian jets hit the positions of the jihadist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the group Ahrar al-Sham on Friday.
"The goal was to destroy rebel fortifications," said observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman.
HTS is designated by the UN as a terrorist group and has about 10,000 combatants in Idlib.
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Earlier in the week, Russian planes reportedly carried out some 30 strikes in rebel-held areas west of Idlib, in the mountains of Latakia province and in the Sahl al- Ghab.
Syrian army soldiers and Allied militia would have rallied for what has been described as a progressive offensive.
HTS and rival rebel factions backed by neighboring Turkey said they would defend themselves.
What happened at the top of Tehran?
At a trilateral meeting between Russia, Iran and Turkey on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Turkey's calls for a truce in Idlib.
Putin said that Russia will continue its fight against "terrorists" in the province of Idlib.
Turkey – which has long supported some rebel groups – fears that a massive attack will trigger another major refugee crisis on its southern border.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his counterparts in Russia and Iran: "We do not want Idlib to turn into a bloodbath."
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EPA
At the Tehran summit, Russia and Iran have declared that the fight against the militants must continue
"Any attack on Idlib would be catastrophic – any fight against terrorists requires time and patience."
However, Russia and Iran say jihadist groups in Idlib must be eliminated.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that "fighting against terrorism in Idlib was an essential part of the mission of restoring peace and stability in Syria".
Meanwhile, Putin said that "the legitimate Syrian government has a right and must eventually take control of its entire national territory".
Why is Idlib important?
The province is the last major stronghold of rebel and jihadist groups that have been trying to overthrow Assad for seven years.
Idlib straddles the main highways across Syria and if the government takes over, the rebels would have only a few isolated areas across the country.
- Who controls Idlib?
The province is not controlled by a single group, but rather by a number of rival factions, including a jihadist alliance linked to Al Qaeda and a national rival, the Liberation Front, supported by Turkey.
It is estimated that up to 30,000 rebel and jihadist fighters are in Idlib.
But the vast majority of its inhabitants are civilians. The UN says the region is home to some 2.9 million people, including one million children.
More than half of the civilians have already been displaced at least once to Syria and have nowhere else to go.
What are the concerns?
The UN fears that a large-scale offensive in Idlib will lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Without a political solution in Syria, "we will see this war reach new levels of horror," said UN Special Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura.
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AFP
Thousands of people displaced by civil war take refuge in Idlib camps
On Thursday, the new US envoy to Syria, Jim Jeffrey, said the anticipated conflict would be "reckless escalation", and that "there is ample evidence that chemical weapons are being prepared".
He did not give details of the evidence to which he referred.
What do we know about the use of chemical weapons?
The Syrian government has denied ever using chemical weapons.
However, experts from the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have stated that government forces were behind an attack involving the neurological agent
The US State Department warned Monday that Washington would respond to any new chemical attack by the Syrian government or its allies.
