Airstrikes have severely impacted hospitals in northwestern Syria, with nearly 50,000 individuals displaced and tens of thousands lacking access to running water. Civilians are reportedly being laid out in body bags within hospital facilities following shelling in their neighborhoods.
Recent reports indicate a resurgence of violence reminiscent of the bloodiest days of Syria's civil war as pro-government forces respond to an unexpected rebel offensive. Aid workers, a war monitor, and the United Nations have raised alarms over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the region.
The situation for civilians has been exacerbated by years of conflict and the aftermath of a powerful earthquake in February 2023, leading to widespread poverty and displacement. Over the last few days, Russian and Syrian airstrikes have intensified in Idlib and Aleppo, coinciding with rebel efforts to secure additional territory.
The United Nations reported over 50 airstrikes in Idlib Province on Sunday and Monday, damaging four health facilities, four schools, and two camps for displaced individuals. Stéphane Dujarric, a U.N. spokesman, highlighted that a strike on a water station cut access for approximately 40,000 people. Additionally, the Norwegian Refugee Council noted that bakeries and shops in Aleppo have closed, contributing to food shortages.
According to Mr. Dujarric, 24 healthcare centers in Idlib and western Aleppo have halted operations due to ongoing fighting, resulting in a significant pause in humanitarian activities out of concern for aid workers' safety.
In the city of Idlib, which is fully under rebel control, several hospitals sustained damage from what staff attributed to pro-government airstrikes. At SAMS Maternity Hospital and Ibn Sina Children’s Hospital, significant damage to incubator units for premature infants was reported.
Dr. Mohammed Hussam Kaddouh, director of Idlib University Hospital, confirmed that his facility was one of two rendered completely inoperable by recent airstrikes. He stated that the attacks directly targeted the hospital, necessitating reliance on remaining medical centers outside of Idlib.
Dr. Kaddouh described the damage, noting that one strike hit the hospital’s eastern wing, while another impacted its northern wing. Large shards of glass and debris were visible throughout the hospital, and a missile penetrated two reinforced concrete roofs, landing in the basement without injuring anyone due to timely evacuations.
Typically, University Hospital serves around 1,100 patients daily and nearly 30,000 monthly, offering essential cardiology and obstetrics services that are now unavailable within the city, forcing patients to seek care elsewhere.
The United Nations verified that at least 44 civilians have died in the fighting in Idlib and northern Aleppo since the offensive began last week, with 162 additional injuries reported, a significant number of which are women and children. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported further fatalities from pro-government airstrikes and rebel shelling in various regions.
Approximately 5.1 million people reside in northwestern Syria, including 3.5 million displaced from other areas and two million living in camps or temporary shelters. The latest conflict has driven at least 48,500 people to flee, with numbers continuing to rise, according to U.N. assessments.