Despite a ceasefire, Russian and Syrian air force is still flying daily bombing raids on the province, in the North-West of Syria. Targets civilian facilities are mainly.
Idlib has been the last refuge for many Syrians in their own country. Around three million people live here. Further, hundreds of thousands of Syrians stuck on the Syrian-Turkish border in the nearby Atmeh. Since the end of April, the Syrian military conducts an Offensive to the expulsion of the rebels in Idlib. Russia was proclaimed as a close ally of the Syrian government in the past week, a new ceasefire for the Region. The attacks of Russian aircraft and of Syrian government supporters went further, however. According to “Syrian Observatory for human rights”, based in the UK Syrian fighter planes were flying in the rebel-controlled enclave, a total of 42 attacks. One of them had taken an observation post of the Turkish army.
Voice to make it audible
Sophie Bischoff of the Initiative “Adopt a Revolution” feared an escalation of the Situation in the province: “Even if the developments on the ground relate to us in Europe directly, there is the perception that in Syria everything is back to normal. The conflict of no interest to anyone really.” That the war is in Syria will be slowly forgotten, had something to do with the dynamics of the war, which has lasted for eight years.
“Adopt a Revolution” was founded in 2011, in order to make the voices of Syrian activists in the world heard and to support civilians on the ground. Currently, the organization works with around twenty initiatives in Syria, most of them in Idlib. Many of the civil society partners have already been forced to flee from the air raids in Idlib.
The view from the forgotten war, the two major aid stations in Germany, Diakonie and Caritas, the want to make on the Situation in Syria to the attention of share. The humanitarian situation was more devastating, hold on to the associations in a joint statement. Once again the war will be fought on the backs of the population, criticize you. Caritas President Peter Neher stressed, even if the views of many people regions of the turns are already of the other world, must not forget the suffering of Syrians. People have difficult or no access to supply with the most Necessary, or were forced to flee, as the battle for the Idlib province.
In may alone, have to flee according to the UNHCR, more than 270,000 people in front of the fighting in Idlib. Six million people are still Displaced in their own country. A total of almost 12 million people in Syria need the UN still humanitarian aid.
The Failure of the demilitarised buffer zone
In the battle for Idlib, the civilians are unprotected between the fronts. On the one hand, the Syrian government troops in Idlib at any price back. On the other hand, the jihadists of Haiat Tahrir al-sham (HTS), the existing gap is already filled. The HTS is a group of extremists who emerged from the Al-Nusra Front the dominant force in Idlib.
“After Russia and Turkey agreed on a fight-free Zone in Idlib, Turkey was competent to liberate Idlib from the HTS. This is not happening and is now used as an Argument to justify the Offensive on Idlib,“ said Bischoff. Russia and the Regime, were attacked, but mainly civilian facilities, such as hospitals and schools. The are not random, but targeted attacks on civilian structures, writes Sophie Bischoff.
A Syrian places white stones on the graves of those killed are civilians, at the beginning of June in Idlib
Idlib falls to the Syrian Regime, the people would be forced to leave Idlib. “On the Turkish border, thousands of Displaced persons are already. What if this number continues to rise? Eventually no more space will be,“ says Bischoff. The people in Idlib wouldn’t be safe, you should have the Regime the province back under control. Most of the policy would be followed and, therefore, are trying to get into Turkey and from there to go elsewhere. In other areas, in which the Regime could usurp the Power, gave it to a rising number of arbitrary arrests.
In addition, there is hardly any structures for civilians, such as air-RAID shelters to protect against bombing in Idlib, as Bischoff continues. “Many flee to the fields and try to search under the trees for refuge. If the situation escalates further, it means a humanitarian disaster, which is a lot of cost you your life,“ warns Bischoff of “Adopt a revolution”.
“Someone must do something”
The international efforts to secure peace in Syria have so far failed. “Somebody has to do something. More pressure needs to be exerted. Especially to Russia, so that it does not participate further. It would have to be in the interest of all Nations to receive this last opposition enclave, because the people can’t live under this Regime,” says Bischoff.
At the end of may, the last session on Syria in the security Council of the United Nations took place. The UN Deputy emergency relief coordinator, Ursula Müller urged to protect civilians in the Region. In may alone, there were 160 civilian deaths and 25 attacks on hospitals.
Russia has so far made twelve Times of his Veto right in the UN security Council to prevent action against its ally Syria
“You know that half of the Syrian population fled the country? You know that dog were killed thousands of Syrians, millions injured? And you also know that currently, three million Syrians are in Idlib in the cross fire?”, Müller asks in the security Council. You want to make sure that these facts are actually known.
The emergency relief coordinator has a lot of questions. But, apparently, none of the 15 UN ambassadors that sit on the semi-round table and listen to her, a response that can lead to a solution. Russia spoke of the fight against terrorists in Idlib, Germany, from respect for international law. Thus, the fifth meeting of the UN security Council on the issue of Syria was completed within a month – without that, you would have come to the end of the war in Syria is a step closer.