France ‘alarmed' by Syrian regime violence

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal has condemned Syrian regime air strikes in Idlib Province, saying they were a "headlong rush" to violence and they showed the regime had no intention of seeking a political solution to the conflict in the country.

"France is alarmed by the multiplication of violations of the ceasefire and the attacks by the regime against civilians in Syria," Nadal said in a daily online briefing.

"The bombing in Maarat al Numan ... illustrates yet again the dangerous headlong rush of the regime and its refusal for any political solution," he added.

More than 50 civilians including two children were killed and dozens more wounded on Tuesday in regime air strikes that hit marketplaces in two northwestern Syrian towns.

In Idlib Province, which neighbours Latakia, air strikes on a vegetable market in the town of Maarat al Numan killed at least 40 people and injured dozens of others.

In the nearby town of Kafr Nabl, 10 people were killed in air strikes.