The wave of violence that Syria's northwestern province of Idlib has experienced over the last weeks has forced thousands of local residents to flee the region, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a press release on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th February, 2020) The wave of violence that Syria's northwestern province of Idlib has experienced over the last weeks has forced thousands of local residents to flee the region, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a press release on Wednesday.
"In northwest Syria, airstrikes combined with a ground offensive conducted by Syrian government forces and their Russian allies have triggered a huge wave of displacement in the last opposition-held area in the country. With towns and camps west of Aleppo hit by shelling in recent days, roads are packed with cars and trucks as people flee towards a shrinking area of safety," the press release said.
The group cited its mission head for Syria, Julien Delozanne, as saying that if the military operation and attacks continued, the situation would only get worse, as people would be forced to stay in refugee camps where living conditions were already harsh.
MSF also said that there was lack of working hospitals due to concerns of being attacked.
"The hospital in the city of Al-Atareb, which had received emergency kits from MSF, had to close on 16 February after attacks on the city. The hospital in Darat-Izaa also closed on 17 February for fear of being bombed. As a result, there is now no functioning hospital in rural west Aleppo province," the press release said, adding that people are experiencing massive uncertainty.
The fighting has left displaced people without food and water, and living in tents "in harsh conditions with little protection from the winter cold." Given the worsening situation, MSF said it was attempting to support those in need by distributing essential relief items, including blankets, winter clothes and hygiene kits.
The security situation in the Syrian province intensified earlier in February after the Syrian armed forces recaptured significant parts of the area. According to local authorities, almost 1.3 million refugees have already left the de-escalation zone in Idlib.
