End hostilities, ‘preserve lives’: UN refugee chief makes appeal for people trapped in Syria’s Idlib

Feb 21, 2020, at 05:59 pm

New York/IBNS: As the already dire situation in north-west Syria dramatically continues to worsen in Idlib province, the head of the United Nations refugee agency called on Thursday for an end to the hostilities and appealed for urgent action to allow the people trapped there to move to places of safety.

Australia issues 42 arrest warrants for nationals in Syria suspected of IS links

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:25 pm

Canberra,/UNI: Australian Federal Police has obtained 42 arrest warrants for its citizens accused of supporting the Islamic State in Syria, including women from the Al-Hawl camp, The Guardian newspaper reported on Friday.

Syrian army completely secures Aleppo city from rebels' shelling

Feb 18, 2020, at 05:10 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI: The Syrian government forces on Monday said that Syria's northern city Aleppo has been finally made safe from shelling after a wide-scale military operation, saying that dozens of villages and towns returned under government control as a result of the current military operation..

Iraq: Education access still a challenge in former ISIL-controlled areas

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:21 am

New York/IBNS: More than two years after the defeat of ISIL in Iraq, some children in areas formerly controlled by the terrorist group still cannot access school or get the necessary documentation required for enrollment, a UN report published on Monday finds.

As north-west Syria violence reaches ‘horrifying’ new level, UN relief chief says ceasefire is only option

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:19 am

New York/IBNS: The crisis in north-west Syria has reached a “horrifying new level”, the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief warned on Monday.

Syrian military shoots down 5 drones targeting oil refinery in homs - reports

Feb 16, 2020, at 07:26 pm

Cairo/Sputnik/UNI: The Syrian armed forces has shot down five unmanned aircraft attempting to attack an oil-processing plant in Syria's western province of Homs‎, Sham FM radio station reported on Sunday.

Vital Idlib aid deliveries resume after ‘heavy bombing’ - WFP

Feb 15, 2020, at 08:59 am

New York/IBNS: Urgently-needed aid deliveries to embattled civilians in north-west Syria have started again after a day-long break in distributions caused by escalating hostilities, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

Over 10 Turkish servicemen killed in recent attacks by Syrian forces in Idlib

Feb 12, 2020, at 06:48 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that 14 Turkish servicemen have been killed and 45 others wounded in recent attacks by the Syrian Arab Army in Syria's northwestern Idlib province.

Turkey Prez threatens to attack Syrian forces "everywhere" if Turkey's troops targeted

Feb 12, 2020, at 06:38 pm

Ankara/Xinhua/UNI: Turkish president threatened Wednesday to attack Syrian forces "everywhere" if Turkish soldiers are targeted again in the Idlib province of Syria.

Syrian army captures 600 square km of areas in Idlib, Aleppo

Feb 09, 2020, at 10:43 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI: The Syrian army said on Sunday that it has captured 600 square km of areas over the past few days in the countryside region of Idlib and Aleppo provinces in northern Syria.

ISIL still at ‘centre’ of terrorism threat, Security Council hears

Feb 08, 2020, at 07:47 am

New York/IBNS: Despite the loss of its last stronghold in Syria and the death of its leader, ISIL “remains at the centre of the transnational terrorism threat”, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Friday.

Turkey sends special forces to reinforce observation posts in Syria's Idlib

Feb 07, 2020, at 07:54 pm

Moscow/Sputnik:Ankara is sending special forces troops to reinforce its observation posts in the Syrian province of Idlib, amid rising tensions in the de-escalation zone, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported on Friday.

Russia registers 25 ceasefire violations in Syria over past 24 Hours - Defense Ministry

Feb 07, 2020, at 06:24 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The Russian side of the Russian-Turkish commission monitoring the implementation of the Syrian truce has registered 25 ceasefire violations in Syria over the past 24 hours, while the Turkish side has recorded four truce breaches, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Syria: ‘Massive waves of civilian displacement and loss of life must stop now’: UN Special Envoy

Feb 07, 2020, at 09:52 am

New York/IBNS: Air and ground strikes in the region of Idlib, northwest Syria, are causing “massive waves of civilian displacement and major loss of civilian life”, causing unacceptable human suffering which must stop now, Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, told the Security Council on Thursday.

Syrian army gives rebels chance to surrender in Saraqeb city

Feb 05, 2020, at 07:34 pm

Damascus/Xinhua: The Syrian army on Wednesday gave the rebels in Syria's Saraqeb city in the northwestern province of Idlib a chance to lay down their weapons and surrender, according to the state news agency.

Syria: UN health agency highlights ‘critical health threats’ facing Idlib civilians

Feb 04, 2020, at 10:04 am

New York/IBNS: The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alarm on Monday over critical health threats facing hundreds-of thousands of Syrians forced to flee due to intensified hostilities in Syria’s northwest, where health facilities and workers have increasingly come under attack.

Nine killed in airstrikes in Syrian Idlib: monitor

Feb 02, 2020, at 09:12 pm

Damascus,/Xinhua/UNI: A total of nine people were killed on Sunday by airstrikes that targeted Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, a war monitor reported.

Syrian state television says several journalists wounded near Aleppo

Feb 02, 2020, at 08:07 pm

Cairo/Sputnik/UNI: Syrian state television reported on Sunday that several journalists covering Syrian army operations had been wounded in the vicinity of Aleppo.

UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ by military escalation in northwest Syria

Feb 02, 2020, at 05:11 pm

New York/IBNS: The UN Secretary-General has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in northwest Syria.

UN chief calls for immediate cessation of hostilities in NW Syria

Feb 02, 2020, at 10:14 am

United Nations, Feb 2 (Xinhua) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in northwest Syria.

End Syria fighting to avoid ‘even greater humanitarian catastrophe’

Jan 30, 2020, at 09:33 am

New York/IBNS: The “dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation” affecting women and children in northwest Syria was the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator’s top concern on Wednesday morning as he briefed the Security Council in New York.

Erdogan says Russia not loyal to agreements on Syria

Jan 29, 2020, at 10:30 pm

Istanbul/Xinhua: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Russia is not abiding by the agreements inked earlier to end the conflict in Syria's Idlib region, local media reported.

Syrian army inches closer to key city in Idlib amid intense fighting

Jan 26, 2020, at 09:31 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI: The Syrian government forces have advanced toward the city of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province in northwestern Syria on Sunday amid intense battles and shelling, activists and local media reported.

Russia registers 96 ceasefire violations in Syria over past 24 hours: Defence Ministry

Jan 26, 2020, at 07:57 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The Russian side of the Russian-Turkish commission monitoring the implementation of the Syrian truce has registered 96 ceasefire violations in Syria over the past 24 hours, while the Turkish side has recorded 92 truce breaches, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

Health services for Syrian women caught up in war, foster safety and hope: UNFPA

Jan 24, 2020, at 10:25 am

New York/IBNS: Continued displacement from conflict-affected areas in northeast Syria leaves women and girls in urgent need of safe spaces, shelter and reproductive health services, according to a Flash Update this week from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

Over 1,000 Syrians return home from Jordan, Lebanon over past 24 hours: Russian Military

Jan 23, 2020, at 07:30 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: More than 1,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

About 30 Civilians Killed in Aleppo by Militants’ Attacks in 3 Days –Reconciliation Center

Jan 18, 2020, at 08:52 am

Aleppo/Sputnik/UNI: Illegal armed units continue to shell the Syrian city of Aleppo, leaving 28 civilians dead within the past three days, the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation said.

Syrian conflict has ‘erased’ children’s dreams: new UN report

Jan 17, 2020, at 10:16 am

New York/IBNS: Nearly nine years of conflict in Syria have robbed boys and girls of their childhood and subjected them to “unabated violations of their rights”, including being killed, maimed, displaced, forced to fight or subjected to torture, rape and sexual slavery.

Almost 1,000 civilians leave Idlib De-escalation zone on Monday - Russian Military

Jan 14, 2020, at 09:50 am

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: A total of 983 civilians left terrorist-controlled territory in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib on Monday through two newly-established humanitarian corridors, Maj. Gen. Yuri Borenkov, the commander of the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, reported.

Syrian helicopters drop leaflets to urge civilians to leave rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Idlib

Jan 12, 2020, at 10:24 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI: Syrian choppers dropped leaflets on rebel-held areas in the northern province of Aleppo, urging civilians to leave rebel-held areas through humanitarian corridors which opened on Sunday, a war monitor reported.