Airstrikes kill 5 in northwest rebel-held Syrian village

Syrian opposition activists say airstrikes on a rebel-held village in the country’s northwest killed five people.

The Syrian Civil Defense and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three women were among the victims.

Sunday’s airstrike hit the village of Mallaja in Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.

Last week, Syrian President Bashar Assad said his forces will soon retake Idlib.

Assad said in an interview that they are now giving civilians some time to leave the area, which is dominated by al-Qaida-linked militants.

Syrian troops launched a four-month offensive on the province earlier this year, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

A fragile cease-fire stopped the government offensive on Idlib at the end of August.