Syrian regime besieges Idlib's Maarat al-Numan

Syrian regime forces backed by Russian warplanes on Tuesday besieged Idlib province's Maarat al-Numan city and over a dozen villages in its outskirts.

Regime forces now control the villages of al-Hamidiyya, Bseideh, Kafar Basin, Babolin, al-Salihiya, Dar al-Salam, Deir al-Gharbi, Tekad, Sehyan, Maar Hattat, Babeela, Kahira, Maasaran, Dana and Kafar Roma.

In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited. But more than 1,300 civilians have been killed in attacks by the regime and Russian forces in the de-escalation zone since then as the cease-fire continues to be violated.

In a fresh move, Turkey announced on Jan. 10 that a new cease-fire in Idlib would start just after midnight on Jan. 12. However, the regime and Iran-backed terrorist groups continued their ground attacks.

More than 1 million Syrians have moved near the Turkish border due to intense attacks over the last year.

Since the eruption of the bloody civil war in Syria in 2011, Turkey has taken in some 3.7 million Syrians who fled their country, making it the world's top refugee-hosting country.