The Assad regime and Russia’s brutal bombing campaign has killed hundreds of civilians and forced hundreds of thousands more out of their homes in northwestern Syria. The Syrian Coalition said that Russia bears primary responsibility for the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in northwestern Syria.
In a report released on Monday, the Emergency Response Coordinators Team said that the Assad regime and Russia’s bombing campaign has forced 551,877 people out of their homes in the provinces of Hama, Idlib and Aleppo in 19 weeks. It pointed out that the bombardment has killed 769 civilians, including 221 children, calling on the international community and international organizations to shoulder their responsibilities with regards to the protection of civilians.
The Team condemned the Assad regime and Russian onslaught against the civilians in Idlib and adjacent provinces, adding that the onslaught is aimed at emptying the demilitarized zone of civilians.
Moreover, the Team called on humanitarian organizations to step up relief aid for the displaced people, calling on the new UN envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, to make genuine efforts to put an end to attacks on civilians in Idlib province and not to listen to the demands of the regime and Russia only.
The President of the Syrian Coalition, Abdurrahman Mustafa, on Monday said that the objectives of the recent military operations “have long been exposed as the Russian role is abundantly evident following the shelling that targeted the Turkish observation points.”
President Mustafa pointed out that the targeting of these points indicated attempts to put pressure on Ankara and sabotage the Idlib agreement which was meant to pave the way for a nationwide ceasefire and the resumption of a genuine UN-led political process.
“The Assad regime is merely implementing orders for the recent military escalation,” Mustafa said on Monday, adding that the ongoing bombing campaign in northwestern Syria put the lives of nearly four million civilians cramped along the Turkish border at huge risk.” (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
