UN concern mounts over civilians in Syria’s Idlib

Several UN Security Council ambassadors on Tuesday (August 28th) voiced concern over the fate of civilians in the Syrian province of Idlib, AFP reported.

Following a council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Syria, they warned of the dire consequences of an anticipated Syrian regime offensive in the northwest of the country.

Sweden's ambassador to the Security Council, Carl Skau, warned this "would have catastrophic consequences and can lead to a humanitarian disaster".

John Ging, a senior official with the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said observers have seen a "serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in northwestern Syria in the past weeks.

Separately, Linda Tom, an OCHA representative in Damascus, said an attack could be catastrophic, warning that 800,000 people could be displaced and the number in need of humanitarian assistance "could increase dramatically".

French deputy ambassador Anne Gueguen said France is "very concerned" over signs of a large-scale Syrian offensive in Idlib, recalling that any use of chemical weapons will mean military response from Washington, Paris and London.

British ambassador Karen Pierce warned there will be "no reconstruction assistance until there is a credible and ongoing political process" in Syria.

The US is "gravely concerned about the threats to civilian lives should the regime and its allies undertake a wider offensive in Idlib", said Kelley Currie of the US diplomatic mission at the UN.

The US "is also deeply concerned that the regime may again use chemical weapons against civilian populations as part of its assault on Idlib", she said.

Russia's envoy, however, defended the Syrian regime’s right to regain control over the province.