Dozens of Syrian civilians killed by Assad regime in the last month

At least 21 civilians were reportedly killed last month by Assad regime forces in parts of Syria's Idlib, Latakia and Hama provinces that fall within a network of de-escalation zones.

In October, regime forces bombed several parts of Idlib, including the towns of Khan Sheikhun, Bernas and Padama, leaving 12 civilians dead, according to local sources.

The sources, speaking anonymously due to fears for their safety, said the regime had also struck parts of Latakia last month that fall within the de-escalation zone scheme -- including the Yamadiya, Sallour and Al-Kabina areas -- leaving another four civilians dead in that province.

Regime forces also struck parts of Hama, including Al-Latamna, Kafrzeita and surrounding villages, leaving five more civilians dead, according to local sources there.

In May, Russia, Turkey and Iran signed an agreement in Astana establishing a network of de-escalation zones throughout Syria in which acts of aggression would be expressly forbidden.

The arrangement is ostensibly aimed at shoring up a fragile cease-fire hammered out last December.

At a subsequent round of Astana talks in September, certain parts of Idlib were incorporated into the de-escalation zone scheme.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating civil war that began in early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict and more than 10 million displaced, according to claims by the UN.