Erdogan’s statement, 14 days on: Russian-backed regime forces capture 86 areas in Aleppo, Idlib and Hama, 552 persons killed, and over 300,000 civilians displaced

The deadline given by the Turkish president Receb Tayyip Erdogan for the Syrian regime to retreat from all the areas recently captured in Idlib and Aleppo, is about to end. However, the regime forces have been achieving rapid advances, with full Russian support. On February 12, Erdogan released statements divorced from reality on the ground, since SOHR sources have reported that regime forces captured 53 towns and villages in Aleppo alone after these statements, in addition to securing Aleppo city completely for the first time since 2011. In Idlib and Hama, regime forces captured 33 towns and villages in nearly 60 hours, with considerable Russian air support.

After Erdogan’s statement, displacement of people grew significantly. According to SOHR statistics, over 300,000 civilians have been forced to abandon their areas in Aleppo, Hama and Idlib from February 12 to February 26. IDPs’  living conditions and situation deteriorate every day, since Turkey closes its border, preventing them from crossing into the Turkish territory.

Since February 12, SOHR activists have documented the killing of 75 civilians, including 21 children and 10 females, due to aerial and ground bombardment by the Russians and regime forces.

165 jihadis among 259 fighters were killed in the same period, in bombardment and clashes with regime forces.

While 218 regime soldiers and loyalists were also killed in the same clashes.

In addition, many Turkish soldiers were killed and injured by Russian and regime fire.