Thousands flee north-west Syria amid fierce assault by Assad #ChristmasEve
Up to 30,000 leave area of Idlib province as government forces push to reopen road from Damascus to Aleppo
Up to 30,000 leave area of Idlib province as government forces push to reopen road from Damascus to Aleppo
A mass exodus of civilians from the last rebel-held stronghold in Syria has begun as thousands of people flee towards the Turkish border in the face of a fierce new military assault by Bashar al-Assad and his Russian allies.
As many as 30,000 people have left the area around the town of Maarat al-Numan after four days of airstrikes and heavy shelling paved the way for Syrian government troops to push deeper into north-western Idlib province.
Those who can afford 😢🖤#ChristmasEve fuel have been fleeing in cars, motorbikes and flatbed trucks, often taking no more than what they can carry.
“The warplanes were targeting the M5 with missiles and heavy machine guns the whole way.
“The warplanes were targeting the M5 with missiles and heavy machine guns the whole way.
I don’t know how we made it alive, we are so lucky,” said Ammar Karkas, 29, a father of two who left Maarat al-Numan on Monday.Monitors and witnesses said at least 12 civilians have been killed on the road this week as 🇷🇺 and Syrian air force jets have targeted civilian convoys.
The new fighting comes despite a September agreement by the leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran to recommit to de-escalation efforts in the area.
At least 100 people have been killed since the ground offensive began last week, including five children who died after missiles hit a school sheltering displaced people in the village of Jobas on Tuesday.
