Beirut: More than 200,000 civilians have fled the city of Afrin in northern Syria in less than three days to escape a Turkish-led military offensive against a Kurdish militia, a war monitor said on Saturday as a Turkish air strike killed 11 civilians.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 280 civilians have been killed since January 20. Ankara has repeatedly said it takes the “utmost care” to avoid civilian casualties.
“There was fierce fighting throughout the night on the northern outskirts of the city as the Turkish forces and their Syrian allies tried to break into the city,” the Observatory noted. On Saturday alone, at least 50,000 civilians fled the city since the early hours of the morning. “The situation is terrifying,” said Observatory director Rami Abdul Rahman.
Turkey and its Syrian Arab rebel allies have waged a nearly two-month offensive on Afrin, which is held by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). A single escape route remains open to the south to territory still held by the YPG or controlled by the Damascus regime.
Meanwhile, Syrian regime air strikes killed at least 30 civilians in the town of Zamalka in Eastern Ghouta on Saturday, the Observatory reported. The fresh bombardment came as around 10,000 people streamed out of the last rebel bastion on the capital’s doorstep on Saturday morning. Regime forces have retaken 70 per cent of Eastern Ghouta since February 18, carving it up into three shrinking pockets held by different rebels. The regime assault has killed more than 1,390 civilians in the enclave, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground. “Warplanes targeted civilians in Zamalka as they prepared to flee,” the southern area of the enclave held by the Faylaq Al Rahman rebel group, Rahman said.
More than 40,000 civilians have poured out of Eastern Ghouta since Thursday, fleeing air strikes and advancing regime soldiers.
On Saturday, regime television showed dozens of civilians trudging along a road leading into regime-held territory, dragging suitcases, clutching blankets and wearing thick winter coats.
Some carried heavy sacks and children on their shoulders, kicking up dust from the road as they marched.
An elderly woman dressed in black from head to toe limped as she walked, leaning on a wooden stick, while nearby three men carried another in a wheelchair.
Civilians who have arrived in regime controlled territory have complained of having nowhere to sleep.
“Women and children are on the floor,” said Abu Khaled, 35, who used to run a clothing shop in Ghouta.
Since 2013, Eastern Ghouta’s estimated 400,000 residents had lived under government siege, facing severe food and medicine shortages.
