Russian combat aviation has stepped up on Monday to hit its strikes against rebel-controlled cities in Syria's Idlib province after a fighter was shot down on Saturday and the pilot was killed, Reuters reported.

Civic Defense Sources said the attacks were hitting the cities of Kafr Nabl, Maasran, Sarakbeb, Maarathan Numan and Idlib. A few dead and wounded are reported. Witnesses and locals have said that a hospital has been struck in Maarat-en-Nuuman, and an attack in Kafr Nabl has damaged a residential building and it is assumed that at least five people have died.

According to an eyewitness in Idlib, a five-story building has been destroyed and at least 15 people are believed to have died. In air strikes on Saturday after the overthrow of the Russian military plane, at least 10 people were killed in Han al-Subul. Another seven died in an attack in Maasran.