The UN expresses concern about the recent escalation of hostilities in the north-west of Syria
I have a couple of humanitarian updates. One from Syria. The UN remains gravely concerned by the recent escalation of hostilities in the north-west of Syria. Ongoing clashes, shelling and air strikes, including the use of barrel bombs, continue unabated in Idleb, in western Aleppo and northern Hama provinces. Schools, hospitals, and other critical civilian infrastructure have been damaged and humanitarian operations have been hindered as a result.
Satellite imagery shows entire towns and villages have been razed to the ground, while dozens of communities have been emptied.
Since the start of the hostilities in April, over 550 civilians have been killed, over 400,000 people have been displaced from northern Hama and southern Idleb governorates. Many of them have been displaced multiple times, as we have been telling you.
Almost half of the displaced people are living outside camps and reception centres, and they are living in open-air areas or under trees.
On Monday, 15 civilians, including three women and three children, were reportedly killed in air strikes on seven communities in Idleb governorate. On the same day, two schools, a bakery and a hospital were damaged in Kafr Nobel.
Three quarters of the nearly 3 million people being impacted by the violence are women and children. Reports indicate that humanitarian needs are deepening, in particular with regards to shelter, food and non-food items.
The United Nations continues to call on all parties to the conflict to do their utmost to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians in the conduct of military operations, to strictly follow international humanitarian law’s principles of distinction and proportionality.