SEMELKA, Syria - It was a sign of the sudden transformation sweeping Kurdish-run northeast Syria: foreign aid workers and journalists packed this border crossing on Monday, rushing to get out to Iraq. Though few organizations made official announcements, it appeared almost all foreigners working for aid groups were leaving. “This is our nightmare scenario,” said Made Ferguson, Mercy Corps’ deputy country director for Syria, which had to pull its international staff out of northeastern Syria. We’ve had to pull our international staff out of northeast Syria. An international aid worker at the border crossing Monday said nearly all 250 foreign aid workers in northeast Syria, operating with dozens of groups, were leaving.

Source: thestar October 14, 2019 22:07 UTC