This week, the Syrian army also began advancing westward into the rebel-held countryside around the city of Aleppo. The new front marks a significant escalation and a sign of the Syrian army’s determination to retake the last major rebel bastion. The recent uptick in violence and attacks have triggered a mass exodus from the area — but civilians have nowhere to go. ADADAnkara has expressed alarm at the Syrian offensive, which has sent hundreds of thousands of displaced people fleeing toward the Turkish border. The bloodshed has also fueled demands by Syrian living in Idlib that Turkey do more to protect civilians in the province, including opening up its borders to those trying to flee.

Source: Washington Post January 29, 2020 09:22 UTC