Idlib offensive pushing civilians toward occupied Afrin

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – After over eight civilians were killed in Russian and regime airstrikes in Idlib and Hama’s countryside on Saturday, there are reports of a large convoy of civilians arriving from Idlib to Afrin.

Experts say the Syrian government is getting closer to launching an assault on rebel-held northwestern Idlib, which according to the United Nations could displace over 700,000 people, creating a humanitarian crisis.

They are expected to flee toward the Turkish border or to areas in northern Aleppo under Turkish control, such as Azaz, Afrin, Bab, and Jarabulus.

Now, sources suggest a significant number of civilians from Idlib are arriving in Afrin.

Turkish-backed forces occupied Afrin on March 18, and over 150,000 people from Afrin were displaced and living in dire conditions in camps in the Shahba region, in northern Aleppo.

“Civilians are arriving in Afrin from Idlib, where Regime forces and Russia started an offensive,” the activist group, Afrin Activists, said on Saturday, adding up to 150 vehicles entered Afrin a day earlier.  

“The wave of displacement came right after heavy shelling by SAA [Syrian Arab Army] on Idlib outskirts and aerial bombardment by Russian Air Forces,” the group added. “Our sources say that the deadline given to sides before the launch of an offensive is over.”

Zerdest, a 27-year-old Kurd, told Kurdistan 24 that many people from Idlib have settled in Jindires.

According to his parents who are still in Afrin, “they are not against people from Idlib or Jisr al-Shugur arriving here, because it’s war.”

“We are only against the FSA [Free Syrian Army] and the Turkish army, not against refugees,” they added.

Mohammed Billo, a journalist from Afrin, told Kurdistan 24 that most of the houses in Jindires are now full of people from Idlib.

“The number has been increased in Jindires particularly. Many others arrived in other areas in Afrin, but the majority arrived in Jindires since it’s close to Idlib, and people know each other,” Billo added.

“The people of Afrin are afraid because the situation is already not good, there are no jobs, and tens of thousands from Ghouta have been settled here,” he said.

“They also fear that the terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra will come over to Afrin [among the displaced people] and seek protection in the mountains, so the situation [could] be very bad.”

A part of Idlib is held by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, that the United States links to al-Qaida, while rebels backed by Turkey control another part.

According to Billo, HTS controls 60 percent of Idlib, while the Turkish-backed groups control the rest.

“Nusra has 50,000 fighters, and they might flee to Afrin,” he said.

Furthermore, Billo says al-Qaida is active in Afrin through civil organizations who have erected propaganda signs with some urging women to wear the hijab and other Islamic clothing.

Fabrice Balanche, an associate professor at the University of Lyon 2, told Kurdistan 24 that it is possible jihadis would be moved to Afrin.

“Most likely, Turkey will transfer the jihadis to Afrin,” he said. “This would be the best way for Turkey to protect Afrin from the comeback of the Kurds.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany