International alarm as civilians flee Aleppo assault

THE Syrian government offensive to recapture rebel-held Aleppo sparked international alarm yesterday, with the UN saying nearly 16,000 people had fled the assault and more could follow.

France called for an immediate Security Council session on the fighting, which has seen the army capture a third of opposition-controlled east Aleppo in recent days. The fighting has prompted an exodus of terrified civilians, many fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory, or crossing into government-controlled western Aleppo or Kurdish districts.

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien said the situation was “alarming and chilling. Up to 16,000 people have been displaced, many into uncertain and precarious situations.”

The figure does not include civilians who have fled to remaining rebel-held territory, and O’Brien said it was “likely that thousands more will have no choice but to flee should fighting continue”.

East Aleppo has been under government siege for over four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low. World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said civilians were enduring “dire” conditions, describing the situation as a “slow motion descent into hell.”

Government forces began an offensive to recapture east Aleppo – in rebel hands since 2012 – on November 15, pounding the area with air strikes, barrel bomb attacks and artillery fire.

They have advanced swiftly, capturing all of the city’s northeast in a major blow to the opposition.

The loss of their east Aleppo stronghold would be the worst defeat for the rebels since Syria’s conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011 before spiralling into a civil war after a regime crackdown.

The opposition has steadily lost territory in recent months to government forces bolstered by a Russian military intervention that began in September last year. Russia says it is not involved in the current offensive in Aleppo, concentrating its strikes instead on rebel and jihadist forces in the northwestern Idlib and central Homs provinces.

More than 250 civilians have been killed in the government’s assault on east Aleppo so far, including nearly 30 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The monitor said at least 10 civilians were killed in a strike in the Bab alNayrab district yesterday and reported ongoing clashes in the Shaar and Tariq al-Bab neighbourhoods.

The Observatory said the civilian exodus continued yesterday from neighbourhoods now on the front line.

An AFP correspondent said families were forced to sleep in the streets or in unfurnished empty apartments left behind by previous waves of residents fleeing fighting in Aleppo.

The city has seen some of the worst violence of the conflict, which has killed more than 300,000 people. Over half the country’s population has been displaced, and millions have fled abroad.

The government has trumpeted its advances in Aleppo, pledging victory in the city is near.

The Al-Watan daily, which is close to the government, said the army had begun the “second phase” of its operation, pushing south after capturing the northeast of the city. “If the army takes control of Tariq al-Bab, it will allow them to arrive to Shaar, which is one of the most important strongholds of Al-Nusra Front,” the newspaper said yesterday

Al-Nusra was formerly al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, but renamed itself the Fateh al-Sham Front after saying it had severed ties with the jihadist group.

The government considers all those who have taken up arms against it to be “terrorists” and makes no distinction between jihadists and other fighters.

Backers of Syria’s moderate opposition have expressed concern about the army’s advances, but have shown little sign of willingness to intervene.