HATAY, Turkey

The UN on Thursday sent 71 truckloads of humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people need assistance due to internal conflict.

The trucks carrying supplies passed through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey’s southern Hatay province.

The aid will be distributed to those in need in Idlib and nearby rural areas.

A civil war has ravaged Syria since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and displaced since then.

Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk in Ankara