6300 people fled clashes in northwest Syria – UN
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United Nations said on Tuesday that more than 6.300 people fled their homes during the recent clashes in Aleppo northern countryside, northwest Syria.
On October 10, clashes erupted between several factions of the Turkish-backed opposition Syrian National Army (SNA) in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) exploited this situation and sided with some factions, and expanded its territorial influence in areas that were under the SNA’s control.
“Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that stepped-up fighting in the north-west of the country in the past week has resulted in civilian casualties,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said on Tuesday.
This situation forced residents “to flee their homes and clashes are continuing today,” he added.
The spokesman stressed that newly displaced people are in urgent need for “food, shelter and other supplies.”
On Tuesday morning, the US Embassy in Damascus called for immediate withdrawal of HTS from Afrin, north of Aleppo. “We are alarmed by the recent incursion of HTS, a designated terrorist organization, into northern Aleppo,” the Embassy said.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Tuesday that 58 individuals, mostly militants, were killed in a week-long fighting between SNA factions and HTS in north of Aleppo.