The “de-escalation” zone, stretching from the north-eastern Latakia mountains to Aleppo’s north-western suburbs passing through both Hama and Idlib countryside, has seen major developments on the ground and systematic killing and displacement of people between the 15th of January 2020 and today the 5th of March 2020. All these developments have been tracked and documented by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Since January 15, the start date of the recent military escalation by Russian-led regime forces and allies, SOHR activists have documented the displacement of more than 1,200,000 persons who have been forced to flee their areas in Aleppo, Idlib and Hama, due to the intensive aerial and ground firepower which destroyed civilians’ properties and paved the way for the regime to capture many areas.

Areas captured recently by the regime have became unpopulated almost completely, only few civilians loyal to Al-Assad regime could return after the entry of regime forces. The original residents of these areas are living now in the open, while others just manage to get hold of primitive tents or uninhabitable places in areas on the border with Iskenderun region and Turkish-held areas in the north and north-western countryside of Aleppo like Azaz, Al-Bab, Jarabulus and Afrin.

Since the beginning of the recent ground offensive on the 24th of January 2020, regime forces captured more than 276 cities, towns and villages in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces.

In Idlib and Hama, regime forces captured the following 158 areas: (1) Telmans, (2) Ma’ar Shmasha, (3) Deir Sharqi, (4) Deir Al-Gharbi, (5) Ma’ar Shmarin, (6) Ma’rata, (7) Al-Ghadfa, (8) Ma’ar Shourin, (9) Al-Za’alana, (10) Al-Dana, (11) Tal Sheikh, (12) Sawami’e, (13) Khirbet Mezyan, (14) Masaran, (15) Bsida, (16) Taqana, (17) Babolin, (18) Kafr Bassin, (19) Marhatat, (20) Hamidia, (21) Dar Al-Salaam, (22) Salhia, (23) Kafruma, (24) Maarrat Al-Nu’man city, (25) Wadi Al-Daif, (26) Hantutin, (27) Al-Jarrada, (28) Al-Ruwayha, (29) Al-Qahiryah, (30) Khan al-Sobol town, (31) Mardebseh, (32) Al-Hartamiyah, Qamhana, (33) Abu Juraif, (34) Tal Khatrah, (35) Tal Musaytif, (36) Al-Kana’es, (37) Karsyan, (38) Hish, (39) Kafr Mazdah, (40) Jabbalah, (41) Muqah, (42) Al-Amudiyah, (43) Armanya, (44) Kafr Batikh, (45) Dadikh, (46) Luf, (47) Anqarati, (48) Jubas, (49) Sannan, (50) Zakkar, (51) Tarnabeh, (53) Mardikh, (54) Tal Mardikh, (55) Kaddur, (56) Al-Ruwayha, (57) the Abandoned Battalion, (58) Al-Balisah, (59) Al-Wasitah, (60) Kuwayris, (61) Tal Al-Agher, (62) Al-Mushayrafah, (63) Tawil Al-Halib, (64) Al-Raqim, (65) Jadidat Al-Khatrah, (66) Sheikh Idrees, (67) Baj’as, (68) Al-Rayyan, (69) Tal Al-Rumman, (70) Parisa, (71) al-Hammamat, (72) Tal al-Sultan, (73) Om Sharshuh, (74) al-Khashakhish, (75) Tal Ibrahim, (76) Jabal al-Taweel, (77) Mas’adah, (78) Ras Al-Ain, (79) Shuha, (80) Kafr Amim, (81) Tal Rihan, (82) Al-Rasafah, (83) Islamin, (84) Abu Al-Khashah, (85) Tal Al-Tuqan, (86) Jlas, (87) Sheikh Mansur, (88) Al-Duwayrah, (89) Saraqeb, (91) Maarrat Al-Na’saan, (92) Sheikh Damis, (93) Hantutin, (94) Rakaya, (95) Tal Al-Nar, (96) Kafr Sajna, (97) Sheikh Mustafa, (98) Naqir, (99) Satuh Al-Deir, (100) Arinbeh, (101) Um Sir, (102) Maarrat Al-Sin, (103) Jabbala, (104) Maarrat Mater, (105) Arinbeh, (106) Maarrat Hurmah, (107) Maar Zita, (108) Ba’rabu, (109) Basqala, (110) Hass, (111) Kafr Nubl, (112) Hazarin, (113) Tremla, (114) Al-Dar Al-Kaberah, (115) Jibbin, (116) Hassanah, (117) Al-Faqi’, (118) Karsa’a, (119) Al-Lubaydah, (120) Ftirah, (121) Malaja, (122) Kafr Mous, (123) Kawkaba Al-Qasirah, (124) Kawkaba Al-Tawilah, (125) Um Nir, (126) Rasha, (127) Shoulin and other villages, hills and positions in the eastern and south-eastern countryside of Idlib, and (128) Hwaijah, (129) Al-Hawwash, (130) Al-Amqiyah, (131) Jesr Bayt al-Ras, (132) Tanjarah, (133) Al-Dayrouniyah, (134) Al-Sherkah, (135) Al-Arima, (136) Shir Maghar, (137) Maydan Ghazal, (138) Shahrnaz, (139) Hourtah, (140) Jurn, (141) Deir Sunbul, (142) Lubaydah, (143) Kura, (144) Sahhab, (145) Deir Sunbul, (146) Al-Sahriayh in the western and north-western countryside of Hama.

Meanwhile, regime forces managed to take control of 118 areas in Aleppo; they are as follows: (1) Khan Tuman, (2) warehouses of Khan Tuman, (3) Al-Khalidyah, (4) Rajam, (5)Hazmer Hills, (6) Kherbet Kharas, (7) Tal Al-Zaytun, (8) Maarata, (9) Al-Rashideen fifth sector, (10) Zammar, (11) Jazraya, (12) Othmaniyah Kaberah, (13) Talafeh, Tal Tabarez, (14) Maharem, (15) Khawwari, (16) Al-Qal’ajiyah, Khalseh, (17) Zitan, (18) Berneh, (19) Al-Huwayr, (20) Abad, (21) I’jaz, (22) Sheikh Ahmed, (23) Tal Karatin, (24) Al-Zahiryah Farm, (25) Al-Aaseriyah, (26) Mak-hala, (27) Rasm Al-Ward, (28) Um Atabah, (29) Rasm Al-Eis, (30) Rasm Saharij, (31) Jib Al-Kas, (32) Bans, Al-Eis, (33) Al-Eis Hill, (34) Al-Kusaybiyah, (35) Al-Bawabiyah, (36) Al-Talhiyah, (37) Tal Haddiyah, (38) IKARDA, (40) Al-Barqum, (41) Al-Zarbah, (42) Al-Kammari, (43) Al-Kalariyah, (44) Kafr Halab, (45) Al-Qanater, (46) Kherbet Jazraya, (47) Miznaz, (48) Al-Rashideen 4th sector, (49) Zaid neighborhood, (50) Abu Shlim, (51) Tal Klayriyah, (52) Khan Al-Asal, (53) Arbikh, (54) Sheikh Ali, (55) Arradah, (56) Arnaz, (57) Al-Muhandiseen first countryside, (58) Kafr Jum, (59) Zahrat Al-Mada’en, (60) Al-Shameko, (61) Al-Muhandiseen second countryside, (62) Al-Sawma’a roundabout, (63) Urm Al-Sughra, (64) Urm Al-Kubra, (65) Jam’eyyat Al-Radwan, (66) the 46th Regiment, (67) Kafr Naha, (68) the area of the scientific research center, (69) Jam’eyyat Al-Kahrabaa, (70) Aajil, Owayjil, (71) Al-Mansurah, (72) the northern Al-Rashideen, (73) Sadiyeh, (74) Police School, (75) Al-Shuwayhana, (76) Tallat Al-Shuwayhana, (77) Kafr Da’el, (78) Hayyan, (79) Beyanoun, (80) Tal Musaybin, (81) Babis, (82) Maarrat Al-Artiq, (83) Bashtara, (84) Jam’eyyat Al-Hadi, (85) Haritan, (86) Anadan, (87) Kafr Hamra, (88) the second Jam’eyyat Al-Kahrabaa, (89) Jam’eyyat Azaar, (90) Tal Al-Nabi Nu’man, (91) Jam’eyyat Al-Fanar, (92) Bashqatin, (93) Beit Ghazi, (94) Al-Houta, (95) Qayloun, (96) Jam’eyyat Al-Itihad Al-Arabi, (97) Jam’eyyat Al-Muharibin, (98) Majinah, (99) Jam’eyyat Al-Zahraa, (100) Layramoun, (101) Yaqed Al-Adas, (102) Kafr Basin, (103) Sheikh Aqil, (104) Hur, (105) Al-Qasimiyah, (106) Basartoun, (107) Anjara, (108) Al-Salloum, (109) Qabtan (110) Al-Jabal, (111) Bala and other positions and hills in the area.

Regime forces have also captured 19 other areas in Idlib and Hama, before opposition factions, backed by Turkish aircraft and ground troops, recovered them following an operation launched on February 24. These areas are: (1) Al-Nayrab, (2) Maarrat Alya, (3) Saan, (4) Afes, (5) Al-Salihya and (6) Mujayzer in the eastern countryside of Idlib, (7) Al-Duqmaq, (8) Al-Zaqum, (9) Qulaydin, (10) Al-Qahera and (11) Al-Ankawi in Sahl Al-Ghab, and (12) Quqfin, (13) Kansafra, (14) Kafr Oweid, (15) Al-Halloubah, (16) Sfuhen, (17) Faterah, (18) Fulayfil and (19) Al-Mawzarah in Jabal Al-Zawiyah.

Furthermore, SOHR activists have documented gross human losses of civilians and military personnel due to the military operations, intensive aerial and ground bombardment and fierce battles in Idlib, Aleppo and Hama, from the 15th of January 2020 to the 5th of March 2020. The death toll is as follows:

342 civilians, including 105 children and 54 females.

By Russian jets: 210 civilians, including 56 children and 36 females

By regime helicopters: 11 civilians, including two children and one female

By regime jets: 60 civilians, including 30 children and 10 females

By regime ground shelling: 39 civilians, including 12 children and two females

By factions’ ground shelling on regime-held areas in Aleppo city and countryside and Hama countryside: 22 civilians, including 5 children and 5 females.

802 jihadis among 1,138 opposition fighters were killed in clashes and air and ground strikes by regime forces and the Russians.

1,077 regime soldiers and loyalists were killed in clashes, attacks, bombardment and detonations by Turkish-backed factions and jihadi groups, of whom 170 soldiers were killed by Turkish artillery and drone attacks.

27 foreign militiamen loyal to the Syrian regime were killed in Turkish bombardment.

73 Turkish soldiers were killed by Russian and regime airstrikes, and ground shelling by regime forces and loyal non-Syrian militiamen.