Neue Flüchtlinge in Syrien

Nach einem für die Region halbwegs ruhigen ersten Halbjahr - und ruhig ist wirklich wirklich relativ - intensivieren Russen und syrische Armee erneut ihre Angriffe aus die Region Idlib. Mit dem üblichen Resultat: Tausende fliehen, allerdings nur innerhalb der Region, denn die Grenzen zur Türkei sind inzwischen hermetisch geschlossen:

About 5,000 civilians in the north-west of Syria have once again been forced to flee their homes after a new wave of government shelling targeting the contested area, a local aid agency said.

At least 31 people have died since the beginning of June as Bashar al-Assad’s forces have hit civilian infrastructure in southern Idlib province, including a hospital, displacement camp school, and a civil defence headquarters. The number of dead includes three children and a civil defence worker who was killed in an attack on the town of Qastoun on Saturday. (...)

Salem Abdan, Idlib’s health director, said: “June has brought many attacks on civilian homes and buildings, putting a lot of pressure on our hospitals, which are already struggling. The increase in attacks now, combined with the [UN security council vote on cross-border aid] approaching, poses a threat that the health and relief sector could collapse completely.”