UN expresses concern over growing number of displacement in Syria

The UN on Wednesday expressed concern over the growing number of displaced people in Northern and Southern Syrian areas.

Ali al-Zatari, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, while addressing a news conference said said the possibility of another Turkish military offensive in Tal Rifat town in the northern countryside of Aleppo province could exacerbate the displacement rate of civilians, following the Turkish capture of the city of Afrin in northern Syria earlier this month.

“We are concerned about the expansion of the military action to Tal Rifat and that could result in a double displacement of the people who live in difficult circumstances.

“We are talking about 180,000 displaced people from Afrin to Tal Rifat and surrounding villages, namely Nubol and Zahra,’’ he said.

The Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels captured the former Kurdish-controlled Afrin enclave in northern Syria, with recent estimates saying around 200,000 people fled Afrin to nearby areas, including Tal Rifat, as a result of the Turkish offensive.

The Turkish side, however, said it was expanding its operation to other Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Syria and Tal Rifat is believed to be their next target, which sparks more concern as many more civilians could flee.

On the situation in the capital Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta countryside, where thousands of civilians are fleeing to government-run shelters on daily basis, al-Zatari said the departure of civilians in large numbers also sparks concern due to their many needs.

“Around 80,000 people from Eastern Ghouta have been relocated to Damascus and we are also concerned about the evacuation of more of them due to their large number and their many needs,’’ he said.

Still, the UN official said humanitarian workers of several humanitarian organisations are doing their utmost to meet the demands of people.

“Either way, the UN, and the (Syrian) Red Crescent are carrying out a massive work with the Red Cross and other humanitarian partners to render all help to those Syrian civilians with all they need,’’ the UN official said.

This comes as thousands of civilians are leaving areas in Eastern Ghouta on daily basis, seeking refuge in government-run shelters in the countryside of Damascus.

The civilian evacuation was made possible after the Syrian army advanced in Eastern Ghouta and captured 90 per cent of that area from an array of rebel groups, which have been entrenched in that key area since 2012.

Also, thousands of rebels and their families are leaving Eastern Ghouta toward rebel-held areas in Idlib province.

Local reports suggest that the Syrian government would return the displaced people to their homes in Eastern Ghouta after the situation there settles, with the fact that civilians in many areas in Eastern Ghouta remained in their homes when the army entered.