20 days of military operations in Aleppo and Idlib: 1,133 persons killed, nearly 400,000 civilians displaced, and 93 areas fall to regime forces

20 days of military operations in Aleppo and Idlib: 1,133 persons killed, nearly 400,000 civilians displaced, and 93 areas fall to regime forces

The recent escalation of regime and Russian operations in both Idlib and Aleppo within the so-called “de-escalation” zone has accomplished its 20th consecutive day. Over the recent 20 days, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the significant developments seen in the area of killing, displacement, destruction and shifts on the map of powers and influence.

During the period between the 15th of January 2020 and the 4th of February 2020, SOHR activists documented the displacement of nearly 400,000 Syrian civilians from tens of cities, towns and villages within the southern and western countryside of Aleppo and the southern, eastern and south-eastern countryside of Idlib. This mass displacement comes as Syrian regime and Russia follow systematic policy to force civilians to flee their areas by stepping up aerial and ground bombardment, so that they can capture more areas.

The problem now is that these people have no place to be sheltered in, if the regime forces advanced further into Idlib city which is the biggest residential community ever within a single area with 700,000 to 1,000,000 persons in.

Most of the displaced people headed to the north-western countryside of Idlib near the Syrian border with Iskenderun, while some others headed to areas under control of the Turkish forces and their proxies in rural Aleppo. Some others try to infiltrate to the Turkish territory after paying large amounts of money to smugglers.

Humanitarian catastrophe is continuing to deteriorate amid International Community’s inaction towards crimes by the Syrian regime and Russians against civilians in camps and those who are searching for a new safe haven.

Turkey, the “de-escalation” guarantor, has had enough with mere publicity that polishes it as being an actor sympathetic towards the humanitarian catastrophe. Meanwhile, the Turkish border guard forces “Jandarma” continue to target and kill the Syrians who try to infiltrate into the Turkish territory.

During the past 20 days, Observatory activists documented gross human losses reached 1,133 fatalities among civilians, soldiers, rebels and jihadis as a result of the intense aerial and ground bombardment, attacks, detonations and fierce battles in both Aleppo and Idlib.

47 children and 29 females among 135 civilians were killed in airstrikes by regime and Russian aircraft and ground fire on Idlib and Aleppo countryside, they were distributed as follows:

By Russian jets: 94 civilians, including 37 children and 19 females

By regime helicopters: three civilians, including one female

By regime jets: 17 civilians, including eight children and four females

By regime ground shelling: four civilians

By factions ground shelling on regime-held areas in Aleppo city: 17 civilians, including two children and five females.

395 jihadis among 522 opposition fighters were also killed during the same period due to regime and Russian aerial and ground strikes and clashes, in addition to the killing of 476 regime soldiers and loyalists, including ten members of non-Syrian nationalities, as a result of attacks, detonations and clashes against opposition factions and jihadi groups.

Backed and supervised by the Russians, regime forces launched a wide-scale military operation in both Idlib and Aleppo on January 24. This operation came under a cover of intense aerial and ground firepower represented by thousands of airstrikes, barrel bombs, rockets and artillery shells, which enabled the regime to capture 93 areas.

In Idlib, regime forces captured 84 villages and towns: Telmans, Ma’ar Shmasha, Deir Sharqi, Deir Al-Gharbi, Ma’ar Shmarin, Ma’rata, Al-Ghadfa, Ma’ar Shourin Al-Za’alana, Al-Dana, Tal Sheikh, Sawami’e, Khirbet Mezyan, Masaran, Bsida, Taqana, Babolin, Kafr Bassin, Marhatat, Hamidia, Dar Al-Salaam, Salhia, Kafruma, Maarrat Al-Nu’man city, Wadi Al-Daif, Hantutin, Al-Jarrada, Al-Ruwayha and Al-Qahiryah, Khan al-Sobol town, Mardebseh, Al-Hartamiyah, Qamhana, Abu Juraif, Tal Khatrah, Tal Musaytif, Al-Kana’es, Karsyan, Hish, Kafr Mazdah, Jabbalah, Muqah, Al-Amudiyah, Armanya, Kafr Batikh, Dadikh, Luf, Anqarati, Jubas, Sannan, Zakkar, Tarnabeh and Al-Nayrab, Mardikh, Tal Mardikh, Kaddur, Al-Ruwayha, the Abandoned Battalion, Al-Balisah, Al-Wasitah, Kuwayris, Tal Al-Agher, Al-Mushayrafah, Tawil Al-Halib, Al-Raqim, Jadidat Al-Khatrah, Sheikh Idrees, Baj’as, Al-Rayyan, Tal Al-Rumman, Parisa, al-Hammamat, Tal al-Sultan, Om Sharshuh, al-Khashakhish, Tal Ibrahim, Jabal al-Taweel, Mas’adah, Ras Al-Ain, Shuha, Kafr Amim and Tal Rihan).

Meanwhile, regime forces managed to take control of more nine areas in Aleppo: Khan Tuman, warehouses of Khan Tuman, Al-Khalidyah, Rajam, Hazmer Hills, Kherbet Kharas, Tal Al-Zaytun, Maarata, Al-Rashideen fifth sector and other positions and hills in both southern and western countryside of Aleppo.

The regime forces advanced into all of these areas despite the recent Turkey’s movements and Turkish forces deployment in new areas.