More than 900,000 people, among them many children, are trapped under heavy bombardments between Idlib and the closed Turkish border. In the current freezing temperatures and if nothing is done, this will result in an even greater humanitarian disaster despite all the horrors the Syrian people, including the millions internally displaced, have been facing for the past nine years.
“There are no words strong enough to condemn the inhumane situation currently faced by innocent civilians in the Syrian city of Idlib. The indiscriminate attack currently targeting civilians in the area must stop!”, said Wadih Al-Asmar, President of EuroMed Rights.
EuroMed Rights calls on the international community, including the European Union and its Member States, to support the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ demands for the opening of humanitarian corridors. EuroMed Rights also asks that all forces on the ground stop their military operations and let civilians escape the deadly trap that Idlib has become.
The European Union should also stand up to the values it heralds by swiftly opening legal pathways for the refugees from Syria to enter Europe. The open conflict in Idlib shows that the conditions set by the EU for the “safe, voluntary and dignified” returns of refugees and internally displaced people to their places of origin are clearly not met.
“The EU should refrain from speculating on returning refugees to Syria as this only depicts a distorted reality. It should speak with one voice and play a more active role in exposing human rights violations in Syria and promoting accountability measures against the perpetrators, beyond the provision of humanitarian assistance in Syria and the neighbouring countries,” added Wadih Al-Asmar.