Northwest Syria Update
7 February 2020
Introduction: Syrian Civic Platform will monitor the situation in the Northwest of Syria from 1 to 7 February 2020 and will update the Syrian and international actors on the situation. This will respond to the concerns that the Syrian civilians have in those areas due to the escalation in violence by the Syrian Regime and Russia.
This report monitors the humanitarian and field conditions in Northwestern of Syria in the period from 1 to 7 February in areas outside the control of the Regime in Idlib Governorate, South and West of Aleppo Governorate, Western Hamah countryside, and Lattakia countryside, where this region is inhabited by more than 3.5 million people. The North-West is still suffering from the bombing and military operations launched by the forces of the Regime and Russia, when the Regime forces took control of large areas South and East of Idlib during the time period of this update. The attacks have continued in the Southern and Western countryside of Aleppo, which has led to the displacement of more than 150,000 people from their homes and a large number of casualties. There has been a slight decrease in the exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the US dollar at 1,065 SP per dollar. The exchange rate has led to an increase in the prices of most commodities and weakened the commercial market. This is evident as the attendance to the markets has decreased and the population if further burdened by economic problems. Poverty and unemployment are also a major concern. Winter has increased the need for heating fuel, and in these difficult circumstances, people have resorted to replacing fuel by burning clothes and used shoes in addition to tires and plastic waste despite their great harm this has to human health. There has been a slight decrease in fuel prices in the Northwest, where a litter of diesel recorded a price of 820 SP, while a home gas pipeline was recorded at 11,700 SP per pipe.
Education The education sector is still suffering from a near paralysis and almost complete cessation of the educational process, especially after the European Union suspended its grant to the education sector in Idlib, which used to cover 65% of the total grant for education from the Kimonex Organization’s Manahel Project. The continuous and repeated displacement has cast a shadow over the educational process in terms of displaced students, as well as the inability of schools in the host areas to absorb the large and increasing numbers of students. With the huge increase in the numbers of the displaced, some community activities in many areas resorted to housing the displaced in schools and public facilities, which led to the stoppage of the educational process in a large part of the schools in the Northern region. It is expected to continue
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stopping and stop other schools with the continued military operation of the Regime and the displacement of the population.
Displacement Movement The total number of displaced people in the Northwest, during the period from 1 to 7 February, has reached more than 150,000 displaced persons. The total number of people displaced from 1/11/2019 to 7/2020 has reached 801,764 people. The displaced people have headed towards the Northern countryside of Idlib near the border, in addition to a large portion of them heading towards the Northern countryside of Aleppo (the areas of the Euphrates Shield and the Olive Branch). The Northern countryside of Idlib, near the Turkish border, is also witnessing a very large population congestion, which has exceeded its absorptive capacity. This has resulted in newly displaced people seeking agricultural lands and mountains where they are forced to live in the open. The displaced people in the Northern regions suffer from difficult humanitarian conditions in light of the cold and rain and the weak response of the organizations to the humanitarian needs of the displaced. This is particularly clear in terms of shelter, food, education, water, sanitation, as well as heating and fuel.
Victims The number of casualties during the period from 1/2/2020 to 7/2/2020 for 68 civilians killed in addition to a great number of wounded.
68 Dead Men Women Children 33 16 19
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Field Conditions
Southern and Eastern Idlib: The Syrian Regime forces continue their military campaign on the east and south of Idlib supported by Russian forces. This military campaign was accompanied by violent shelling on those areas by Russian and Syrian warplanes and helicopters. The following areas were subjected to intense daily shelling by various types of weapons.
Idlib Southern and Eastern Countryside
The Target Areas of the Bombing
Kafar Kafar Afis Ariha Saraqib Awid Ammim
Dadikh Joubas Sarmin Alnerab Mardikh
Al- Al- Al- Majdalya Mjazr Arbain Mastouma Qarmid
Kafar Al- Kafar Der Hass Nubul Trunba Battikh Sunbul
Al- Bsaqla Binnish Al-Bara Taftanaz Maghara
Al- Msibin Nehlayya Qminas Beksaria Talhiyya
Karratin Maarballit
The Regime forces have also bombed the town of Al-Mastouma, with missiles loaded with cluster bombs, on 2/2/2020, killing two civilians. As a result of this fierce campaign, the Regime forces and their allies have been able to control the entire Aleppo-Damascus M5 road within the administrative borders of Idlib Governorate, where they took control of 47 cities, villages, and towns.
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Idlib Southern and Eastern Countryside
Areas Controlled by the Regime Forces and their Allies
Mardikh Alnerab Zakkar Al-Trunba Saraqib
Tall Tall Touqan Jillass Rweha Kaddour Mardikh
Kafar Abo Al- Tall Rihan Al-Rasafa Islamin Ammim Khishi
Tall Al- Raas Al- Al-Rayyan Mas'ada Shouha Rumman Ain
Al- Tall Al-Sheikh Jabal Al-Tawil Bijghass Khashakhish Ibrahim Idris
Kafar Anqrati Louf Dadikh Sinan Battikh
Al-Katiba Al- Al-Wasta Al-Bleesa Armanaya Joubas Mahjoura
Tawil Al- Tall Al- Al-Raqim Al-Mshirfa Kwiris Halib Aghar
Jdaidet Tall al- Al- Al-Dwera Barisa Al- Sultan Hammamat Khatra
Al-Sheikh Om
Mansour Sharshouh
South, West and North Aleppo: The continuation of the military campaign launched by the Regime forces, backed by its Russian and Iranian allies, on the Southern and Western areas of Aleppo has resulted in those areas being bombed by Russian and Syrian warplanes while Regime ground forces have made steady incursions on land.
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Southern and Western Aleppo Countryside
The Target Areas of the Bombing
Al-Sheikh Orm Al- Maaret Kafarjoum Hawwar Ali Kubra Naasan
Qubtan Kafar Jameit Al- Tall al- Hayyan al-Jabal Hamra Zahraa Nabariz
Maaret Enjara Jidraya Anadan Hretan Al-Artiq
Jameit Al- Arnaz Kafarnaha Al-Zirba Rahhal Bawwabiya
Al- Daret Bala Al-Atarib Al-Talhiya Salloum Azza
Khan Al- Khan Al- Rif Zetan Touman Rashidin Assal Muhandisin
Jameit Al- Al- Khalsa Barni Kamari Arman Sahafiyin
Al-Qanatir
As a result of this campaign, the Regime forces and their allies have been able to control the following areas South and West of Aleppo:
Southern and Western Aleppo countryside
Areas controlled by the Regime forces and their allies
Othmaniya Zetan Khalsa Jizraya Zammat Kabira
Al- Maharim Barni Hwer Aliss Khawari Qala'ajiya
Tall al- Abbad Mekehli Talafih Nabariz
Idlib City: On February 6, 2020, Idlib city was bombed with barrel bombs from helicopters belonging to the Syrian Regime forces. The regime forces also shelled the city with artillery and missile shells that have been documented to have killed one civilian. During the same period, the city was bombed by Russian warplanes, killing 10 civilians, including 3 ambulance teams. On February 5, 2020, Idlib city was bombed by Russian warplanes, killing 3 civilians, including a child.
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On February 3, 2020, Idlib city was subjected to Regime air forces' shelling without any casualties. West Idlib: The Western countryside of Idlib has witnessed intermittent artillery shelling by the Regime's land forces, which targeted the following areas:
Idlib West
Artillery Target Areas
Jisr Bdama Shughour
Northwest Hama: Russian warplanes bombed the Al-Sarmaniya village on a daily During the update time period. Some villages in the North-Western countryside of Hama have also witnessed intermittent artillery shelling by the Regime's ground forces.
Northwest Hama
Artillery Target Areas
Zizoun Qarret Al- Zizoun Shahranaz Station Jern Engawi
Northeast Lattakia: The region is witnessing intermittent clashes between the Regime forces and its allies and the Opposition forces, without changing the map of control over the ground.
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