With his militia now driven out of Idlib by rebel fighters, the Assad regime has embarked on a bombing campaign on residential neighborhoods in the city, causing huge destruction in residential buildings and public facilities. Idlib National Hospital is now closed down due to the massive damage caused by air raids, while Syrian Red Crescent teams were not spared bombing. The fierce bombing on the city caused a massive exodus of civilians, estimated at over 70% of the population.
President Khoja said that the bombardment of Idlib is part of Assad’s adopted strategy since the very beginning of the revolution towards the liberated areas. “Assad’s strategy aims to wreak death and destruction in every area he loses to rebels, and to kill any chance for Syrians in the liberate areas to establish civil governance or restore public services,” Khoja said.
Local councils, civil bodies and rebel factions are making a great effort to run and secure public institutions and facilities to provide services for civilians, warning that ISIS might step in and exploit the vacuum and chaos caused by the Assad regime vengeful attacks on the city.
Khoja calls on the international anti-ISIS coalition to expedite the imposition of safe havens in northern Syria and to provide the FSA with the means needed to protect civilians and ward off Assad’s air force. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
