Zouhir al-Shimale:
'Residents of northern Syria say they have no faith in the temporary reprieve brought by a Russian-led ceasefire in Idlib as they say shelling hasn’t stopped and the memories endure of previous such deals in other areas subjected to government offensives.
Many of the nearly 3 million civilians sheltering in Syria’s last rebel-held area of Syria were displaced from elsewhere in the country following previous government offensives.
Those who lived through such fighting say that similar ceasefire deals made little difference on the ground as shelling continued and government forces used the brief pause to regroup and renew the offensive days later.
“I do not know what to say,” said Sara Mawlawe, 29, a teacher in the Idlib town of Saraqib southeast of Idlib city. She was displaced from Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, after the régime onslaught there in March 2018.
“The Russian-Syrian régimes are playing with the international community and us like [we’re] dull. Attacking when they want to, ceasing fire to rest and reload their weapons whenever they want,” she said.
Ms Mawlawe said Russian-backed forces would not stop until they recaptured the areas they wanted, regardless of the international community.
“This truce is a setup scheme to orchestrate more attacks against civilians,” she said. “Since I came from Eastern Ghouta last year, the ceasefire and battles are almost identical.”
She pointed to identical attacks against hospitals, infrastructure, civil defence centres and displacements camps.
“Not only the attacks and ceasefires are the same since Eastern Ghouta or Aleppo, the world’s leaders and media coverage have also been the same,” she said.
“Condemnation and draft resolutions against the Syrian régime always vetoed by Russia. Can anyone give me one reason to be optimistic or think this one will end our agony?”
She added that while the area of Idlib where she is now sheltering was relatively peaceful on Sunday, they could hear warplanes overhead and explosions in the distance.
“We do not know if the truce is still on track or it has been cancelled."
On Saturday, the Syria and Russia declared the cessation of hostilities – the second since August 1 – but it was swiftly violated the Syrian military who announced on government media that they were starting attacks against “terrorists” in north Syria.
Ms Mawlawe works with a relief organisation facilitating aid to internally displaced people in the region. She is a volunteer cook and distributes essential items with the local council of Saraqib.
“Even though the truce will not last, the international organization ought to stand up for the hundreds of thousands of refugees who lost everything," she said. “Some families have not eaten a meal for more than three days, or are without shelter. The humanitarian crisis is at critical levels and needs the intervention of international organizations”.
“The Russian-Syrian régimes are playing with the international community and us like [we’re] dull. Attacking when they want to, ceasing fire to rest and reload their weapons whenever they want,” she said.
Ms Mawlawe said Russian-backed forces would not stop until they recaptured the areas they wanted, regardless of the international community.
“This truce is a setup scheme to orchestrate more attacks against civilians,” she said. “Since I came from Eastern Ghouta last year, the ceasefire and battles are almost identical.”
She pointed to identical attacks against hospitals, infrastructure, civil defence centres and displacements camps.
“Not only the attacks and ceasefires are the same since Eastern Ghouta or Aleppo, the world’s leaders and media coverage have also been the same,” she said.
“Condemnation and draft resolutions against the Syrian régime always vetoed by Russia. Can anyone give me one reason to be optimistic or think this one will end our agony?”
She added that while the area of Idlib where she is now sheltering was relatively peaceful on Sunday, they could hear warplanes overhead and explosions in the distance.
“We do not know if the truce is still on track or it has been cancelled."
On Saturday, the Syria and Russia declared the cessation of hostilities – the second since August 1 – but it was swiftly violated the Syrian military who announced on government media that they were starting attacks against “terrorists” in north Syria.
Ms Mawlawe works with a relief organisation facilitating aid to internally displaced people in the region. She is a volunteer cook and distributes essential items with the local council of Saraqib.
“Even though the truce will not last, the international organization ought to stand up for the hundreds of thousands of refugees who lost everything," she said. “Some families have not eaten a meal for more than three days, or are without shelter. The humanitarian crisis is at critical levels and needs the intervention of international organizations”.
Sami Souqe, 33, is a carpenter but lost his home in the bombing of Aleppo three years ago. He has been living with his family of three children in the outskirt of Marat Al Noman, south of Idlib city.
His house has been destroyed and his nine-year-old son, Khaled, is still in intensive care after suffering critical wounds to his back.
His other two children and wife were displaced again now sleep under the open sky, homeless and without assistance while he waits near Turkish border hospital in Bab Al Hawa to hear news of Khaled’s condition.
“We are defenceless and harmless, why are the same attacks and truces happening over and over,” he asked. “And there’s no response or movement whatsoever by the West to end the ongoing atrocities.”
He too didn’t believe the ceasefire was an attempt to ease the humanitarian situation or stop the clashes.
“The declared halt only serve the régime, to reorganize their fighters and move more militants and ammunitions towards Idlib’s frontline to destroy and recapture more towns. It has been happening for years,” he said.
“In 2016 we had the same scenario when dozens of ceasefires were announced and broken again and again by the régime, fooling rebel forces and the international community with the fake willingness to [hold] peace negotiations.”
His house has been destroyed and his nine-year-old son, Khaled, is still in intensive care after suffering critical wounds to his back.
His other two children and wife were displaced again now sleep under the open sky, homeless and without assistance while he waits near Turkish border hospital in Bab Al Hawa to hear news of Khaled’s condition.
“We are defenceless and harmless, why are the same attacks and truces happening over and over,” he asked. “And there’s no response or movement whatsoever by the West to end the ongoing atrocities.”
He too didn’t believe the ceasefire was an attempt to ease the humanitarian situation or stop the clashes.
“The declared halt only serve the régime, to reorganize their fighters and move more militants and ammunitions towards Idlib’s frontline to destroy and recapture more towns. It has been happening for years,” he said.
“In 2016 we had the same scenario when dozens of ceasefires were announced and broken again and again by the régime, fooling rebel forces and the international community with the fake willingness to [hold] peace negotiations.”
Mr Sami took part in a protest on Friday at the Syrian border with Turkey, calling for Ankara to open the closed crossing to allow civilians to flee the grinding bloodshed of the Idlib campaign.
"We are exhausted and need this war to come to an end, we pray for it every day to come true," he said.'
"We are exhausted and need this war to come to an end, we pray for it every day to come true," he said.'
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