The fate of civilians who remain in Idlib, Syria, after the situation has worsened, is of concern to UNHCR, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told on the sidelines of the Second International Humanitarian Forum in Riyadh.
“Of course, we, all of us in the UN aid community, are very concerned about the situation of civilians trapped literally in the northern part of Idlib province. It is estimated that almost a million people have been displaced and access to them is difficult there”, – Grandi said.
According to the Defense Ministry, reports of mass refugee flows from the de-escalation zone in Idlib in Syria have no factual basis, “a significant portion of Idlib residents are safely leaving dangerous areas and moving into areas controlled by the Syrian government.
“We continue to call especially for a diplomatic solution to this conflict because we believe that military solutions will only increase the hardship for civilians”, – Grandi said, adding that the Office is in contact with the parties to the conflict.
The UN High Commissioner also said that, because of the cold weather, tents and shelters are very necessary nowadays. The UN needs more funding, he said, as the situation in Idlib remains difficult.
“We have some funds. The UN has asked for some money, but of course we will need more if the situation remains as difficult”, – Grandi concluded.
Earlier, Radio Sputnik reported that the Kremlin had assessed Turkish drone activity in Idlib.