The United Nations said that the Assad regime’s attacks on the ‘de-escalation zone’ in Idlib province have been the most intense in 15 months.
“The United Nations is concerned about the escalation of violence in north-western Syria, which has resulted in the loss of property and homes for many civilians,” David Swanson, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the Anadolu news agency on Tuesday.
Swanson denounced the Assad regime’s use of barrel bombs in the densely populated areas, describing such use as sickening and calling on the regime to respect the International Human Rights Law.
The Assad regime has recently used various munitions in its bombing campaign in Idlib, Aleppo, and Hama countryside, including barrel bombs, Swanson said. He noted that the United Nations has provided civilians with the basic needs as much as security conditions allow.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the United Nations was deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, civilian casualties and damage to basic and vital facilities in the Idlib area.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the intensifying bombing campaign against residential areas and vital facilities in rural Idlib and Hama, calling for protecting civilians and recommitment to the ceasefire agreement.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called on the US President Donald Trump to stand up to the Assad regime’s deadly attacks on Syrian civilians and protect civilians in Idlib province.
In comments he posted on Twitter on Monday, Graham warned that a “massacre in the making and refugee turmoil to follow. It’s time for the world to stand up to the Butcher of Damascus. Protect Idlib.”
The Syrian Negotiations Commission called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to issue a resolution ensuring an end to the onslaught on Idlib. It warned of a fresh wave of refugees and major humanitarian disaster of unprecedented proportions should the Assad regime and Russian’s bombing campaign in Idlib and northern rural Hama continue.
The ongoing brutal bombardment in the countryside of Idlib and Hama has so far forced more than 300,000 civilians out of their homes as well as killed and injured hundreds of people in the past few days. The bombings have also knocked out four hospitals out of action and devastated many towns and villages. The airstrikes are also targeting IDP camps and main roads in the region. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
