UN sends 13 truckloads of aid to northern Syria

By Cem Genco

HATAY, Turkey (AA) - The UN on Wednesday sent 13 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Idlib, a northern province of Syria, where millions of people remain in need of assistance due to internal conflicts in the country.

The trucks carrying humanitarian aid passed through the Cilvegozu border gate in Hatay, Turkey's southern province. The supplies will be distributed among the residents in need.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and displaced in Syria since 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters and started long-drawn-out persecution of Syrian citizens.

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

The area has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings, which have frequently been violated by the Assad regime and its allies.

The influx of displaced civilians has increased its population to about four million in recent years.