Thousands flee northwest Syria frontline amid shelling

Thousands of people have fled areas around the frontlines of northwest Syria over fears that a new round of fighting will erupt between the regime and opposition groups.

Some 4,280 people have been displaced from areas on the frontline between Syria's armed opposition and regime in Idlib and Aleppo, according Enab Baladi, citing the Syria Coordination Response group.

The group added that the displacement comes "amid indications of a possible military operation in the region".  

The publication said that around the town of Sarmin families had been displaced by the escalation, with head of the Syria Coordination Response saying the families went to areas deeper into the territory, including Idlib city.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported on Tuesday that civilians were fleeing from the area, noting that there had been reports that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other factions would launch attacks against regime positions.

The Observatory added that the Syrian regime has shelled the town of Sarmin as well as other areas along the frontline in Latakia near the town of Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib and the town of Darat Izza in Aleppo.

Ranim Ahmed, the Communications Director at human rights group The Syria Campaign, told The New Arab that the international community have failed civilians in Syria, and there needs to be real commitment to push for a permanent ceasefire and real political transition as well as the empowerment of humanitarian and civil society organisations.

"Northwest Syria has been devastated by a decade of bombardment by the Assad regime, natural disasters (the earthquake), and international funding cuts to vital sectors like health, all of which have weakened the infrastructure, leaving the more than 4 million civilians, most of whom are displaced in camps, in extreme vulnerability," she said.

Thousands of people who live in areas near the frontlines fear that the regime will advance and capture their villages, meaning they will be at risk of detention, torture and oppression. It’s outrageous that Assad continues to terrorize civilians and force them to repeatedly flee their homes with impunity, leaving many with no choice but to seek safety elsewhere, even if it means living in makeshift camps that lack basic necessities," she added.

Families displaced

A United Nations report released on Wednesday said 300 families had been displaced from the town of Sarmin following regime shelling in the area.

In July, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen warned the UN Security Council that Syria had a plethora of armed actors and frontlines. Syria remains stuck in a 13-year-long civil war which began when the regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.

During the meeting the UN's humanitarian office said that in northwest Syria some 900,000 people are not receiving water or sanitation support.

Some 500,000 thousand people have been killed in the war, many by the Syrian regime and its Russian and Iranian allies.