Syrian troops advanced on Saturday on the key rebel bastion of Yabrud as the country’s civil war entered its fourth year, with more than 146,000 dead, millions displaced and peace efforts stalled.
Army troops were locked in fierce clashes with rebel forces, including the al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, after they entered the town on Friday.
The strategic stronghold is the last rebel-held town in the Qalamun region, which lies along the border with Lebanon and on the key highway between Damascus and third city Homs.
The human cost of the conflict has soared, with nine million people forced from their homes, creating the world’s largest displaced population, according to the UN’s refugee agency.
More than 2.5 million Syrians are registered or awaiting registration as refugees in neighbouring countries, and in excess of 6.5 million people are displaced inside the country.
The total number who have fled their homes now exceeds 40 per cent of the pre-conflict population, the UN said.
The exodus has strained the neighbouring countries disproportionately bearing the burden of the new arrivals, including small Lebanon, which is housing nearly one million Syrians.
UN refugee chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday urged all nations to open their doors to Syria’s refugees.
‘To see Syrian children drowning in the Mediterranean today after fleeing the conflict... is something totally unacceptable,’ he said.
‘Borders need to be open everywhere, visa policies need to be open everywhere, family unification programmes need to exist everywhere.’
Aid groups are urging government and citizens to continue to donate to relief efforts with no end to the humanitarian disaster in sight.
A generation risks being ‘lost forever’ with millions of Syrian children deprived them of health care, education and security, they warned Saturday.
Experts say neither side can score a decisive military victory and the country is gradually splintering. Agence France-Presse . Damascus
The strategic stronghold is the last rebel-held town in the Qalamun region, which lies along the border with Lebanon and on the key highway between Damascus and third city Homs.
The human cost of the conflict has soared, with nine million people forced from their homes, creating the world’s largest displaced population, according to the UN’s refugee agency.
More than 2.5 million Syrians are registered or awaiting registration as refugees in neighbouring countries, and in excess of 6.5 million people are displaced inside the country.
The total number who have fled their homes now exceeds 40 per cent of the pre-conflict population, the UN said.
The exodus has strained the neighbouring countries disproportionately bearing the burden of the new arrivals, including small Lebanon, which is housing nearly one million Syrians.
UN refugee chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday urged all nations to open their doors to Syria’s refugees.
‘To see Syrian children drowning in the Mediterranean today after fleeing the conflict... is something totally unacceptable,’ he said.
‘Borders need to be open everywhere, visa policies need to be open everywhere, family unification programmes need to exist everywhere.’
Aid groups are urging government and citizens to continue to donate to relief efforts with no end to the humanitarian disaster in sight.
A generation risks being ‘lost forever’ with millions of Syrian children deprived them of health care, education and security, they warned Saturday.
Experts say neither side can score a decisive military victory and the country is gradually splintering. Agence France-Presse . Damascus
