Military operation in Idlib will create "refugee influx to Europe"

Military operation in Idlib will create "refugee influx to Europe"
The heads of local councils in northern Syrian warned of a new refugee wave toward Europe if the Assad regime and its backers launch a full-scale assault on Idlib, since they have no more room to host internally displaced people in the war-torn country, DS reported. 

Fuad Abbas, head of Mare’ local council, told Daily Sabah that if the tensions in Idlib turn into a full-scale conflict, millions will flee toward the West from the province, which will trigger a new humanitarian crisis. Russian and regime warplanes have continued to conduct airstrikes in Idlib and northern Hama this week amid ongoing negotiations to prevent a large-scale offensive.

The airstrikes resulted in the deaths of scores of civilians and have caused the displacement of tens of thousands. 

"Turkey should not bear this refugee burden alone and it literally cannot. I call on the Ankara government to open the doors on its western borders in case of an offensive, so Syrians can freely move to the European countries," Abbas said.

Speaking to Daily Sabah on the issue, Jamal Osman, head of the local administration in al-Bab said that a possible Assad regime offensive would not likely result in internal displacement, rather a refugee wave toward the West through Turkey.

"We are currently beyond our capacity in the Euphrates Shield areas in term of hosting refugees. If these people had intentions to move Turkey, they would have done it. They will head to Europe, via legal or illegal methods," Osman said.

Since the beginning of September, approximately 40,000 people have already been displaced amid increased airstrikes targeting civilian areas. Only around 5,000 of them have since returned to their homes, according to UN figures. UN officials have also said that 900,000 people are expected to flee if the Assad regime launches a large-scale offensive in Idlib.

Locals in liberated areas are also perturbed on the developments in Idlib. They are stressing that once again the region is in risk.

"Everything was fine before regime’s threat to attack Idlib. Now, people who left their homes are moving here due to fears of a new offensive. There is even a decrease in car prices, because locals who are in fear of possible offensive are selling their vehicles under their value and leaving the area," said Abdurrahman Sheikh, 28, who returned home to Azaz from Turkey four months ago.

"If we lose Idlib, there is nowhere to go for these people. I hope Turkey, our only protector, will prevent the regime attack," he added.

Ankara, for now, prevents refugees from going through to Europe as part of a deal signed with the EU in March 2016 to curb refugee flow. However Turkey has said that lack of European support and unmet promises may force it to reconsider the deal.

Earlier in June, the UN said that in the case of a regime offensive, the only route out for those fleeing would be through Turkey, which already hosts more than 3 million Syrian refugees. Most of the Syrian refugees have used Turkey as a gateway to reach European countries, particularly Germany.

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