Over 60 killed in Syria in clashes between regime forces, rebels: War monitor

Despite the United Nations’ repeated calls for de-escalation, at least 60 people have lost their lives in the violent clashes between Syrian regime force and armed groups in the past 24 hours, said a war monitoring group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR)  documented the death of at least 23 members of regime forces and gunmen loyal to them. At least 38 fighters of the factions and jihadis were reportedly killed in the bombardment and clashes.

The death toll is expected to rise due to the critical condition of several fighters on both sides. The Britain-based observatory said that intense aerial and ground bombardment on Idlib countryside continued where regime forces targeted areas in Al-Tah, Tal Al-Shih, Sahal, Um Tinah and Al-Ferja. It was supported by Russian warplanes in the vicinity of Saraqib, Maarrat Al-Nu’man city and its outskirts.

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Hundreds of lives lost

According to the Syrian Observatory, the regime’s warplanes and helicopters launched at least 201 airstrikes in Idlib province where the ground forces did more than 360 strikes. The clashes have led to a humanitarian crisis and a large number of people have been displaced due to this. At least 4,800 people have reportedly lost their lives since April 30 when the conflict escalated with an increased aerial and ground bombardment. 

Read: Syria: At Least 22 Civilians Killed In Air Raids In Idlib Province

On December 19, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) raised an alarm about the attack by the Syrian regime forces on areas controlled by non-State armed groups and the retaliation of those groups on Government-controlled parts of southern Idleb and Aleppo. OCHA’s Assistant Secretary-General Ursula Mueller said that Civilians on both sides of the frontline suffer the consequences, adding that medical personnel and facilities have also suffered. 

“Without the cross-border operation, we would see an immediate end of aid supporting millions of civilians,” said Mueller while briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria.

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