IDPs return to their homes despite ongoing military escalation in Idlib

Idlib – North-Press Agency

Areas in the southern countryside of Idlib governorate witnessed the return of people who were previously displaced to the northern parts of the governorate, despite intermittent shelling and relative calm in the de-escalation zones in northwestern Syria.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the southern and southeastern parts of the countryside of Idlib are witnessing the return of hundreds of families including more than 5,000 people to their homes in Ma’arat al-Numan and its eastern countryside, al-Fatira, Sfohun, Hass, Kafroma, Bsaqla and other towns and villages in the countryside.

This return comes despite the ongoing shelling and aerial bombardment in the eastern countryside of Ma’aret al-Numan, and the relative calm in the rest of the de-escalation zones, because of the difficult situation in northern Syria and at the borders with Turkey, where the high prices, difficulties of living in securing jobs and the exploitation of war traders, in addition to their hopes that the relative calm would go on despite their distrust of the Russian and Turkish agreements.  

On the other hand, according to the observatory, Kebanah area in Jabal al-Akrad in the northern countryside of Latakia was bombarded with barrel bombs of the Syrian government forces in the ongoing targeting of the area by Syrian helicopters for the third day in a row.

The Syria army also renewed their shelling with rocket-propelled grenades on Ma’arat Hurmah, Tarmalla, Sheikh Mustafa and al-Tah in the southern and southeastern countryside of Idlib, and Jazraya village in Aleppo southern countryside.

Tal Ja’far area in northeastern of Khan Shaykhun also witnessed shelling and mutual targeting between HTS and other opposition groups on one hand, and the Syrian government forces on the other, while reconnaissance planes in the southern countryside of Idlib haven’t stopped since the dawn on Wednesday.