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Syrians continue to flee violent clashes in Idlib

January 1, 2018 at 11:14 am

Syrians inspect damaged buildings after Assad Regime’s airstrikes hit residential areas in the de-escalation zones in Idlib in Syria on December 31, 2017 [Ekrem Masry / Anadolu Agency]

Thousands of Syrian families have fled violent clashes between Daesh and the Syrian forces in the country’s north-western province of Idlib, Anadolu Agency reported yesterday. Many have taken refuge in camps scattered along the border with Turkey.

Early last week, the Syrian army, backed by Russian air power and pro-Iranian fighters, launched intense airstrikes targeting areas in the southern countryside of Idlib province. Idlib and the eastern countryside of Hama province are the only areas that still remain outside government control.

The ten-day offensive and clashes between the regime army and Daesh fighters have also forced the refugees to head to Idlib’s southern countryside of Sinjar, which was later targeted by the army, displacing at least 6,500 civilians.

At least nine civilians were reported dead by the regime airstrikes over the weekend.

Read: Assad regime airstrikes kill 9 in Syria’s Idlib