IDLIB, Syria

In Syria's Idlib province tens of thousands of civilians have undertaken migration in the past week because of attacks by the Syrian army, along with its ally, Russia.

Mohammed Hallaj, the director of the Syria Emergency Response Coordinator, told Anadolu that the army and Russia carried out attacks from land and air on 61 civilian settlements within the borders of the de-escalation zone in Idlib.

Hallaj said weapons banned by international laws were used nine times in the attacks in Idlib and Aleppo, and 42 civilians, including 12 children and nine women, were killed with 214 other civilians injured.

"Fifty-one public buildings, including 11 schools, seven tent camps, 15 health facilities, were hit in Idlib,” he said, pointing out that 79,000 civilians have been displaced as a result of the attacks.

Two employees from humanitarian aid organizations died and four employees were injured in the attacks, he added.

Assad regime forced tens of thousands of civilians to migrate

Abdurrahman Mustafa, head of the Syrian Interim Government, said the intense attacks by the Damascus administration on civilian settlements in Idlib and Aleppo are reminiscent of the 2019 - 2020 attacks that resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands.

He noted that at least 40 civilians were killed after targeting settlements in Idlib and Aleppo.

"The Assad regime is experiencing a crisis in the regions it controls. In order to distract attention directed here, the regime, Russia and Iran started to organize air and land attacks on Idlib and Aleppo," he said.

Damascus targeted civilian settlements with cluster munitions -- prohibited by international treaties – said Mustafa. "The regime targeted dozens of education, health and humanitarian aid facilities and forced tens of thousands of civilians to migrate."

He said the regime and its backers breached international rules through their attacks and he urged the international community to fulfill its moral and legal obligations.

Situation in Idlib

Türkiye, Russia and Iran decided to create four "de-escalation zones" in Syria in areas not under the control of the Syrian government at a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2017.

The Damascus administration, Iran-backed terrorists and Russia continued their attacks and seized three out of four districts and headed for Idlib.

Although Türkiye reached an additional agreement with Russia to strengthen the cease-fire in September 2018, the attacks intensified again in May 2019.

After a new cease-fire deal for northwestern Syria was reached between Ankara and Moscow on March 5, 2020, the cease-fire was largely preserved.

From 2017 - 2020, about 2 million civilians fleeing attacks were forced to migrate to areas near the Turkish border.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan