Protest against Assad Regime attacks in Idlib
Health workers in Syria’s Idlib protested the assault and attacks by Bashar al-Assad regime and its supporters on hospitals and health centers on Sunday.
They gathered in front of ATME Hospital in Idlib city center near Turkey-Syria border. Over 500 doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers attended the protest.
Chanting slogans, the protestors were holding banners that read “Health workers are not alone”, “Terrorist kills doctors, targets hospitals.”
“We are not terrorists, we are doctors and health workers,” Dr. Muna Hattab told Anadolu Agency.
Muhib Kaddur, manager at ATME Hospital, said: “Doctors are symbols of the revolution. We are part of the international health sector. Our protection is the duty of the international community. We stayed here to help people[...]”
Health workers in Syria's Idlib protested the assault and attacks by Bashar al-Assad regime and its supporters on hospitals and health centers on Sunday.
Health workers protest Assad regime attacks in Idlib
Ibrahim Tilas, another doctor, called for an end to the airstrikes by the Assad regime.
Located near the Turkish border, Idlib province is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.
The Syrian regime has recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive to the area, long controlled by various armed opposition groups.
The UN warned that such an offensive would lead to the
"worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century".
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit the Black Sea resort of Sochi with a delegation for a one-day working visit on Monday to conduct a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations, economy and energy, as well as regional issues such as Syria, according to a statement released on Sunday by the Turkish presidency’s press center.An inter-delegation meeting is also expected with the attendance of the two countries’ ministers and officials.Among the topics expected to be discussed are Turkey-Russia relations, economy and energy issues, as well as regional and international issues, particularly Syria.The latest developments in Idlib is also among the topics on the agenda.The Turkish president will be meeting Russia’s Putin face-to-face for a second time in September, after a trilateral summit in Iranian capital Tehran last week.During the summit, Erdogan called for a cease-fire in northwestern Idlib province of Syria -- where the Syrian regime recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive.The first tripartite summit was held in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on Nov. 22 to discuss progress made in the Astana peace talks and changes in de-escalation zones across Syria.The second trilateral meeting was hosted by Erdogan in April in the Turkish capital Ankara.Turkey's resolve to stop displacement in Syria's IdlibErdoğan: We are preparing for historic changes in education
Erdoğan to meet Putin in Sochi on Monday
The people in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib will not be displaced from their homelands with Turkey’s determination, the Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said Sunday.“People of Idlib are trying to make the world listen to their voices. With Turkey’s resolve, these people will stay in their lands and we will protect them,” Erhan Yemelek, the IHH’s Syria coordinator told Anadolu Agency.Yemelek said Idlib has become a city that hosts internally displaced Syrians from every part of the country.Stating that the city currently has 3-4 million people, he said: “After the Tehran Summit, people of Idlib got worried. They waited for the world to turn its direction to Idlib.”On Sept. 7, a trilateral summit between the presidents of Turkey, Russia and Iran underlined that “there could be no military solution to the Syrian conflict" and called for advancing the political process to reach a negotiated solution.Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a cease-fire in Idlib during the summit.Yemelek added that Turkey was the guarantor country (with Russia and Iran) of the region, and people there have been praying day and night for Turkey to not leave them alone.Stressing that Syrian people have been suffering for the last seven or eight years, he said they did not want to be a burden on Turkey’s shoulders and wanted to live in their own lands.He also called on all non-governmental organizations to help meet the needs of people living in camps in the rural areas near Idlib’s border.The Syrian regime recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive in Idlib, which has long been controlled by various armed opposition groups.Later, the UN warned that such an offensive would lead to the "worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century".Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.
Turkey's resolve to stop displacement in Syria's Idlib
Turkish presidential spokesperson on Friday said it is everyone's common belief that there must be a political and not military solution in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province.Speaking to reporters after a preparatory meeting with representatives of France, Germany and Russia for the upcoming four-party summit on Syria, Ibrahim Kalin said they expect maintenance of Idlib's current status, protection of civilians, and prevention of humanitarian crisis there."Everyone's common point is that the solution must be political rather than military," he said.Kalin said there is a general consensus that the consequences of a possible attack on Idlib will be very serious and it will cause humanitarian crises and a new wave of migration."Of course, a new wave of migration would not only put burden on Turkey. It could cause a new chain of crises from here to Europe. Therefore, nobody wants this," he stressed.Kalin said any Syrian migrant in any part of the world would not return to their village or city in Syria before their security is guaranteed.Stating that the bombing of Idlib will be "unacceptable" and that Turkey will play its part to eliminate the security risks there, the presidential spokesperson said:"Our expectation here from the international community and the leaders is that they give more open and clear support to Turkey."He also added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's upcoming visit to Russian city of Sochi on Monday and efforts afterwards were of high importance.Since the beginning of September, at least 30 civilians have been killed in Idlib and Hama, and dozens injured, by airstrikes and attacks by the regime and Russian warplanes, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.The Syrian regime has recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive to the area, long controlled by various armed opposition groups.The UN warns that such an offensive would lead to the "worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century.”
'Solution to Idlib must be political, not military'
A humanitarian corridor will be created in Syria’s Idlib to prevent civilian casualties, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. Addressing a meeting of the German-Russian Forum in Berlin, Lavrov promised that they would take measures to prevent civilian casualties in the area."Whatever we do we will try to keep in mind the issues and the interests of civilians in that area… a humanitarian corridor will be created in Idlib, just as we did in Homs and East Ghouta," he said.People of Idlib see migrating to Europe as last resort"We will not act in the way the U.S.-led coalition acted in Mosul or in Raqqa when there were no negotiations about local cease-fires with opposition groups," he added. Lavrov said currently, talks were underway between Turkish and Russian officials on the situation in Idlib, the last opposition stronghold in Syria. "And next week the two presidents will be looking at the situation," he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in the Russian city of Sochi on Monday.Germany wants Russia to avert Idlib offensivePro-Assad forces flee in panic of Turkey’s military deployments at the borderTurkey's Erdoğan, Russia's Putin to meet in Sochi on Monday
Russia for humanitarian corridor in Idlib, Lavrov says
Civilians displaced from their homes in Syria's northwestern Idlib province during the country’s protracted conflict say their “last resort” is to migrate to Europe.Some 40,000 people have fled towards the north of the province over the past 10 days in fear of the Bashar al-Assad regime and Russian-backed airstrikes.The regime and its allies’ airstrikes started in northern Hama, southern and southwestern Idlib on Sept. 4, while the intensity of the attacks have decreased over the past three days.In the past 11 days, some 8,000 families have migrated to refugee camps near the Turkish border and different areas north of the country, according to an NGO in Syria.Germany wants Russia to avert Idlib offensiveSome civilians took refuge near the observation points of the Turkish Armed Forces, as they think they are more secure.Ahmed Semmu, who is only one of the thousands of displaced residents due to the airstrikes, told Anadolu Agency of his near-death experience.“Last week, the regime barbarically targeted the whole region by warplanes and artillery fires. We’ve narrowly escaped death,” Semmu said.“Those who fled their homes are now staying under olive trees and or in tents,” he added.Pro-Assad forces flee in panic of Turkey’s military deployments at the border‘We are here as long as Turks are’Stressing that the areas where the Turkish Armed Forces set up their observation points are not targeted by the airstrikes, Semmu said: “We do not want to leave our soils. As long as Turks are here, we will be here as well.”Zeanif Hacci, another resident of Idlib, said: “We do not want food or beverages. We want this issue to be resolved.”“If the strikes do not stop, we will have to migrate to Turkey and then to European countries,” he added.Halit Sayel, who lives in Idlib’s Tal Dam village, complained about the airstrikes, saying the majority of his village was destroyed and had become uninhabitable.Turkey's Erdoğan, Russia's Putin to meet in Sochi on Monday“Our villages are under bombardment. We’ve fled to areas close to a TSK [Turkish Armed Forces] observation point on Sirman hill because we know they [observation points] are not hit [by airstrikes]," Sayel said.He went on to say that they would certainly return to their village if the bombardment stops, but will have to migrate if it does not.Since the beginning of September, at least 30 civilians have been killed in Idlib and Hama, and dozens injured, by airstrikes and attacks by the regime and Russian warplanes, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.The Syrian regime has recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive to the area, long controlled by various armed opposition groups.The UN warns that such an offensive would lead to the "worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century"Video: Idlib locals flee to Turkish-controlled areas for safetyTurkey is working to reach ceasefire in Syria's Idlib: FM
People of Idlib see migrating to Europe as last resort