UNITED NATIONS SHARES CIVILIAN SITES’ GPS BEFORE IDLIB BATTLE
▶ Co-ordinates of more than 200 buildings, including hospitals, shared with Russia and Turkey
Nearly 40,000 people fled their homes in the Syrian province of Idlib in the past two weeks, as fears of a government offensive remained high despite a brief lull in air strikes.
The number of displaced people grew by about 8,000 since Monday, as aid groups and the international community warned about the effect of a Syrian government attack.
Panos Moumtzis, UN regional humanitarian co-ordinator for the Syria crisis, said on Thursday the GPS co-ordinates of more than 200 protected sites – including hospitals and schools – had been shared with Russia and Turkey.
“A hospital is a hospital and has to be respected by all on the ground,” Mr Mountzis said, adding that four health facilities had been hit by air strikes in the past week.
The Syrian government wants to recapture the rebel-held province, and its forces have surrounded the area over the past weeks. Speculation that an attack was imminent began this month when Russian jets resumed air strikes and government forces restarted shelling after a respite.
The UN said the battle for Idlib could provoke the “worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century” and revised its estimate of the number of people who could be displaced by a ground offensive from 800,000 to 900,000.
On Friday, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, will meet senior officials from Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Britain and the US in Geneva.
About 38,500 people fled to areas farther north, closer to the Turkish border. But the situation remains fluid, with about 4,500 having “spontaneously returned,” according to the UN.
That confusion is likely to continue for some time, as nearly three million civilians in Idlib await their fate. In the past three days there was a brief lull in bombardment, raising speculation the Syrian government may not yet be ready to attack.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday Ankara was “working intensely with Russia, Iran and our allies” to prevent an attack and stabilise the rebel-held region, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.
Mr Moumtzis quoted a Russian official as saying that “every effort to find a peaceful solution to the problem is being made”, but alternatives to diplomacy are few after talks between Russia, Turkey and Iran failed last week.
Turkey has a significant military presence in Idlib and backs several rebel groups there.
Ankara is desperate to avoid an attack that would send another wave of refugees to its borders – it currently hosts 3.5 million Syrians.
But complicating matters is the presence of former Al Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), whose estimated 10,000 fighters control about two thirds of the province.
Turkey and Russia agree that HTS cannot stay, but Turkey wants a more careful approach.
Since talks to find a solution failed last week, Turkey has sought to deter Damascus by bolstering its military capabilities and those of its allies.
A senior rebel commander told Reuters on Wednesday that Turkey had pledged “complete military support for a long, protracted battle” and sent weapons and ammunition. Activists also reported seeing Turkey reinforcing its military observation posts in the province.
Sam Heller, a senior analyst at Crisis Group, said: “Turkey is attempting to discourage an attack on Idlib through a number of means.
“One is diplomacy and negotiation with its Astana [talks] co-sponsors Iran and Russia, but another is shoring up Idlib’s rebels so Damascus and its allies understand an offensive will come at a real cost.”
Meanwhile, France repeated its warning to President Bashar Al Assad’s regime on Thursday against using chemical weapons.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the use of banned substances would be a “red line” that would have consequences.
The US issued similar warnings in recent weeks.
Estimate of those who could be displaced by Assad government’s operation rises to 900,000