Turkish Red Crescent calls on international community for solidarity on Idlib

The international system must protect innocent civilians targeted by clashes between the regime and opponents in northern Syria's Idlib, said Kerem Kınık, the president of the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay).

Stating that there have been efforts to spread fear of a massacre in Idlib, Kınık said this fear is causing large waves of population movements. He added that the international community must immediately act against a possible humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib that will affect not only Turkey but also Europe.

Commenting on the Bashar Assad regime's airstrikes targeting residential areas in the de-escalation zone of Idlib, Kınık said: "Civilians living in the region have no place to escape. These innocent people are stuck between the regime and armed opposition groups and must be protected by the international system."

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Kınık said there is an ongoing massacre targeting civilians and residential areas in Idlib. "Civilians have been intentionally targeted by bombings. This is an obvious war crime. It is being committed in order to cause people to flee from the region. This situation is unacceptable for the world and international law."

Criticizing the U.N., Kınık underlined that it did not release a condemnation message although its mission is to prevent wars.

He said that 4.5 million civilians residing in Idlib were not able to take international protection. "Turkey and the Turkish Red Crescent maintain their efforts to protect and support Syrian people near the Turkish borders," he said.