Air strikes likely by Russia on a village in Syrias Idlib province killed at least 44 people overnight, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The observatory reported the death of 18 civilians overnight, however, the death toll continued to rise as rescue workers were looking for survivors in the village of Zardana. Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the monitor said: "The death toll has gradually increased as more people have been found under the rubbles and others have succumbed to their wounds." Moscow denied that it was behind the strikes. Russian Defence Ministry was quoted by RT agency as saying that there were fierce battles between Nusra and and opposition forces with the use of heavy artillery.