Doubts about opening of ‘humanitarian corridor’ by Syrian regime for civilians to flee

A “humanitarian corridor” has been opened in Syria so civilians from one of the last remaining rebel-held regions can leave and enter government-held territory, authorities have said.

The country’s foreign ministry said the corridor in the village of Suran, to the south of Hama province, would allow people from the north of Hama and southern Idlib to leave the region.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is documenting human rights violations in Syria, said that the regime’s announcement earlier Thursday about a “humanitarian corridor” for civilians was false, and that there were no civilians left in the specified area; most have already left because of constant shelling by regime forces.

“This corridor is placed by the Russians and the Syrian regime for media purposes to say that civilians are fleeing toward regime-controlled areas,” Rami Abdulrahman, the head of the observatory, told VOA.

 

The Syrian authorities had said that those who left would receive food, shelter and healthcare.

 

The move comes as government warplanes carried out an airstrike close to a Turkish military post in northwestern Syria, which raised tensions between the neighbours, with Ankara backing Syrian opposition and rebel forces.

 

Via VOA/ Al Jazeera/ Sky News