Sunny Day at Syrian Camp

On February 18, morning, it did not exceed 3ºC, yet, the dense clouds broke a little in the sky and the sun came out. This was pleasant enough for the residents of one of the unorganized camps in rural Afrin in Syria. 

The displaced people living in the camp had hastily left their houses. Their journey to the camp coincided with extremely tough climatic conditions. Thus, they found this sunny day to be a chance for them to make their tents tidy and clean, do the laundry, and take showers. 

The aid operation in north-eastern Syria is being “overwhelmed” as the number of people displaced by the government offensive in Idlib rises, the UN said on Monday.

Since early December 900,000 people have been forced to flee, most of them women and children, it said.

The UN added that health facilities and schools were being targeted.

The warning came as President Bashar al-Assad vowed to continue army operations in northern Syria.

“The battle for the liberation of the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib continues,” he said, after his forces made new advances over the weekend.