Russian airstrikes on Syria's Aleppo put two hospitals out of service

Russian warplanes struck two hospitals, as well as residential areas, in Syria's northern Aleppo province, an official said on Monday.

Ibrahim al-Haj, spokesman of White Helmets, said Russian warplanes carried out eight consecutive airstrikes on the al-Kinana and al-Fardous hospitals in western Aleppo's Darat Izza area.

White Helmets teams were clearing patients and staff from the hospitals, he added.

Mazen Kiwara, a doctor with the Syrian-American Medical Society (SAMS), said al-Fardous hospital was directly hit and two of the hospital staff were slightly injured.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over half of the country's health facilities have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the civil war in 2011.

Russian aircraft also targeted villages in the northwestern Idlib province, a stronghold of opposition forces in the war-torn country covered by a nominal cease-fire.

Syrian regime forces led by Bashar al-Assad have been trying to capture the Aleppo countryside and parts of neighboring Idlib province.

The advances have sent hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians fleeing towards the border with Turkey, which already hosts more than 3.7 million refugees.

It has also affected cooperation between Ankara and Moscow.

Turkey has sent its troops to Idlib as part of agreements with Russia-the 2017 Astana and 2018 Sochi accords-that sought de-escalation. However, regime forces, its allies and militias loyal to it continue to violate the cease-fire.

So far this month, artillery fire by regime troops has martyred 12 Turkish military personnel and one civilian contractor.

While Ankara and Moscow have begun a new round of talks in the Russian capital, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey's military will drive back Syrian forces if they do not withdraw from Idlib.

In late April, the Assad regime and its ally Russia launched a large-scale campaign to seize rebel-held areas in Western Aleppo and Idlib.

Although Russia and Turkey brokered a ceasefire in the area in January, the pro-regime forces have continued their advances into Idlib, the last stronghold of rebels in Syria.