Turkish charity provides tents to Syrian refugees

By Omer Koparan

AZAZ, Syria (AA) - A Turkish aid group has provided tents to 135 internally displaced families in Syria.

Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) responded to the needs of refugees near the Turkish border who escaped bombings in Idlib and are suffering severe winter conditions.

The Syrian regime continued launching air strikes and artillery fire on civilian settlements in the Idlib de-escalation zone, where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

“Recently, there has been a mass influx of refugees from Idlib to Azaz and al-Bab towns due to the intense attacks," said Hasan Aksoy, a logistics personnel of the aid group.

In the last one month, at least 20,000 people have fled Idlib to the border towns, he added, underlining that the families often have no belongings.

The aid group also dispatched carpets, stoves, mattresses, coal, food packages and hygiene products.

On Dec. 20, the regime and its allies launched a military campaign mainly in the cities of Maarat Al-Numan and Saraqib as well as the surrounding rural areas, capturing 35 residential areas.

Airstrikes on the region were halted following a visit to Moscow by a Turkish delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Dec. 23.

Turkey and Russia agreed in September 2018 to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

Since then, more than 1,300 civilians have been killed in attacks by the regime and Russian forces in the de-escalation zone as the cease-fire continues to be violated.

Over 1 million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border due to the intense attacks last year.

According to the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Idlib province is home to around 3 million civilians, 75% of them women and children.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin