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600,000 Syrians in Rebel-Held Areas Flee toward Turkish Border after Government Offensive

(Washington Post) Liz Sly - Nearly 600,000 Syrians are surging toward the Turkish border to escape unexpectedly swift Syrian government advances into the country's last opposition-held enclave in the northwestern provinces of Idlib and Aleppo. "We're seeing an unparalleled exodus of humanity," said David Swanson, a UN spokesman based in Turkey. Syrian troops are now within seven miles of the city of Idlib, home to about 900,000 people who could join the exodus. Relentless Syrian and Russian airstrikes target towns behind the front lines to clear out the civilian population ahead of troop advances. Syrian government forces have been joined in recent weeks by Iranian-backed fighters from Lebanon's Hizbullah and other non-Syrian militias, according to U.S. officials.
2020-02-10 00:00:00
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