The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, has recently released distressing statistics regarding the escalating attacks by the Assad regime and Russian forces in northern Syria, Aleppo, and Idlib provinces. The data reveals a shocking number of attacks and their devastating impact on civilians.
According to the White Helmets’ statement, there were at least 149 attacks launched by the Assad regime and Russian forces between September 1 and September 6. This averages to over 24 attacks per day, highlighting the relentless nature of the violence. These attacks targeted 49 separate locations in the liberated territories, causing immense suffering to the civilian population.
The consequences of these attacks have been devastating. The White Helmets reported the loss of nine civilians, including six children, and injuries inflicted upon 27 individuals, with 15 of them being children. The violence has also forced numerous civilians to flee their homes, leading to increased forced displacement in several communities in a region already struggling to cope with over 2 million displaced.
The attacks consist of various forms of violence, including 41 Russian airstrikes, nearly 2,000 artillery shells and rockets (approximately 300 per day), and the use of laser-guided and cluster munitions, employed in densely populated residential areas, posing a grave threat to the innocent lives of both residents and rescue workers. A school, mosque, two IDP camps, and residential homes were among the targets of the attacks.
The data released by the White Helmets for the first week of September is just a fraction of the larger picture. Since the beginning of 2023, civil defense teams have responded to a staggering 491 attacks initiated by the Assad and his Russian allies. They have murdered 55 people, including nine children and five women among them, and injured 225 civilians, of which 78 were children and 32 were women.
The alarming increase in attacks by the Assad regime and Russia, as revealed by the Syrian Civil Defense, paints a grim picture of the ongoing violence in northwestern Syria. The loss of innocent lives, injuries, and forced displacement of civilians highlight the urgent need for international intervention to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. The international community must unite to put an end to the violence and ensure the safety and well-being of the affected population.
