Airstrikes and shelling over the last two weeks in Idlib have forced a quarter of a million people to flee their homes and the Syrian province is now in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, reported International Rescue Committee (IRC).
With 400,000 already displaced by earlier waves of fighting and an additional 400,000 which could be displaced in the coming weeks if the violence continues, it is feared that the number of displaced people in Idlib could reach a million.
The new waves of displacement have strained the already over-stretched medical resources as hospitals and camps have reached their capacity while public buildings like schools and mosque are rapidly filling up.
Many of the newly displaced families are camping out in the open where temperatures drop to zero during night time.
Doctors are reporting daily cases of babies suffering from malnutrition, while many children are suffering from mental health issues because of trauma.
“People are in urgent need of food, shelter and fuel to keep warm as well as psychological support to help them cope with what has happened to them. We urge all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and ensure they are spared from the worst effects of the fighting,” said IRC country director for northwest Syria Rehana Zawar, speaking from Amman, Jordan.
“There is an urgent need for an immediate ceasefire to keep them safe, to enable civilians who are still on the move to reach safety, and to ensure that those who have chosen to remain at home can do so without fearing for their lives,” Mrs. Zawar said. (Source: Relief Web)