Escape of 'tens of thousands' of Syrians from Aleppo towards the Turkish border

As the Syrian government forces, supported by Russian airstrikes, continue their attacks on the positions of Bashar al-Assad's opponents in Aleppo, reports indicate that tens of thousands of people have fled the area. At the same time, Turkey states that these individuals are moving towards its border. On Thursday, February 4, the French news agency reported, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, that nearly 40,000 people have fled from northern Aleppo and entered the Kurdish city of Afrin in western Aleppo province near the Turkish border. Concurrently, according to Reuters, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu stated on Thursday at a UN meeting in London aimed at raising funds for Syrian refugees that tens of thousands have gathered at the 'Kilis' crossing due to bombings and attacks on Aleppo. This crossing is located at the southeastern border of Turkey with Syria in an area largely controlled by Bashar al-Assad's armed opponents. Davutoğlu addressed attendees at the London conference, saying that 'between 60,000 to 70,000 people in camps in northern Aleppo are currently moving towards the Turkish border, and another 300,000 residents of Aleppo are ready to move towards Turkey.' Reports indicate that the Syrian army and militia forces, supported by heavy Russian airstrikes, have broken the siege of the two Shiite towns of Nubl and Zahra in northwestern Aleppo. In this context, a source from the Syrian army told Reuters that 'if operations are completed from two directions, Zibara in the northwest and Nubl and Zahra in the southwest, soon all supply lines of the opponents will be cut off.' Meanwhile, Iranian news agencies reported the capture of the two towns of Nubl and Zahra by Syrian government forces. These attacks and advances by the Syrian government forces occurred while a delegation of Bashar al-Assad's opponents known as the 'High Negotiations Committee' was in Geneva with representatives of the Syrian government, encouraged by the UN. However, after two or three days of separate negotiations by Stefan de Mistura, the UN representative, with both sides, he announced on Wednesday evening that these negotiations have been postponed for three weeks. Reports indicated that these negotiations had not made any progress. Riyad Hijab, head of the opposition delegation, stated that the reason for the cessation of negotiations was the continued attacks by government and Russian forces on areas under the control of these groups and the prevention of humanitarian aid from reaching civilians. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who supports Bashar al-Assad's opponents alongside Saudi Arabia, also accused Russia and Syrian government forces of massacring the people of this country on Wednesday and stated that continuing these negotiations is 'futile.' Meanwhile, reports indicate that the international conference for collecting aid for Syria in London is still ongoing. From Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, has also participated in this meeting. The UN hopes to raise about $8 billion for humanitarian aid this year for Syrian refugees both inside and outside the country.