UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : Escalation of hostilities in northwest Syria

“This is tragic, as many have lived in misery since the outbreak of conflict nearly 14 years ago,” said UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

“Our Office has documented a number of extremely concerning incidents resulting in multiple civilian casualties, including a high number of women and children, stemming from attacks by both Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and by pro-government forces,” he told reporters at the UN bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

The hostilities are resulting in destruction and damage to civilian objects, including health facilities, buildings hosting institutions dedicated to education, and food markets.

“We are in the process of verifying deadly attacks impacting civilians. For example: On 29 November, four civilian men were killed reportedly as a result of multiple ground-based strikes by HTS hitting an area hosting the Aleppo university student dormitories in the Hamdaniyah neighborhood in the western part of the city of Aleppo. According to information gathered by our Office, all victims were students of the university and, following that, many other students fled the university complex,” Laurence said.

“On 1 December, 22 civilians were killed, including three women and seven children, and at least 40 others were injured reportedly as a result of multiple airstrikes by pro-government forces in Idlib. According to information received, multiple airstrikes hit a local market and five residential areas in the city. Most of the victims were in the streets near their homes and in the market at the time of the airstrikes. The air attacks also caused significant damage to civilian houses, shops, the local market, the Al-Hayat Mosque and the Al-Fatih Elementary School,” the spokesperson said.

Laurence also reminded all parties of their obligations and responsibilities under international human rights law and humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Even before half a million people fled across the border from the fighting in Lebanon in September, an estimated 16.7 million Syrians were in need of humanitarian assistance. “It is tragic that so many have had to put up with such hardship for so long,” Laurence said.

He noted that tens of thousands more people have been displaced since 27 November, and their situation is now critical as winter draws in. Life-saving assistance is largely unable to reach the conflict zone. Hospitals and public health facilities in Aleppo are running at maximum capacity and have limited staffing and supplies.

“The High Commissioner urges all parties to de-escalate, protect civilians and allow vital aid to flow through to those in need. Furthermore, we call on third parties with influence to do everything in their power to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law, promote dialogue and prevent this ongoing violence from exacerbating the suffering of the Syrian people and from further inflaming regional tensions,” Laurence said.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

Thameen Al-Kheetan: +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

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