NW Syria witnesses mass displacement following military escalation
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – In the past 48 hours, several villages and towns across the countryside of Idlib and Aleppo in Northwest Syria have seen the displacement of dozens of families due to a significant surge in military activity.
This escalation comes amid reports of an impending military operation in the region.
North Press correspondent, citing local field sources, said that mass displacement has been observed in the city of Sarmin and the villages of Majarez, al-Nayrab, Salihiyah, and Maarat Naasan in the eastern countryside of Idlib.
Similarly, the areas of Iblin, Samaan, Taqad, al-Abzimo, Kafr Taal, and Kafr Ammah in the western countryside of Aleppo have also experienced a surge in population movement in recent hours.
The correspondent added that over 150 families have fled from Sarmin alone, with dozens more leaving surrounding villages, heading toward safer areas near the Syrian-Turkish border in the north of Idlib and Aleppo.
This latest wave of displacement is largely attributed to ongoing government-led military operations in the region over the past week.
Reports indicate that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, once known as al-Nusra Front), and Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), are preparing a potential attack against Syrian government forces in the east of Idlib and west of Aleppo.
On Sep 30, the Lebanese Hezbollah withdrew its forces from key areas in Idlib transferring control of its bases and heavy weaponry to the government forces.