Medical staff in the Syrian province say there has been a marked rise in miscarriages and premature births in the past two months
A nurse with a broken leg works in a room where premature babies are in incubators at a maternity hospital in Idlib, Syria. Picture: REUTERS/UMIT BEKTAS
Speaking on Thursday in a small ward filled with a dozen tiny babies in incubators, she said the last hospital she worked in had been hit in an air strike. She said so too had her father-in-law’s house and that a rocket had landed unexploded next to the kindergarten her two young children — aged three and four years — usually attend.
The Russian-backed Syrian government has been trying in recent months to retake Idlib province, a region that stretches about 100km into Syria from its northernmost point on the Turkish border. It says it is fighting to clear terrorist groups including al-Qaeda from its land and has pledged to retake “every inch” of Syria. Turkey, which has said it can’t cope with the number of people fleeing the war, is supporting rebel forces fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Ikram, who requested her last name not be published due to security concerns, qualified ten years ago just before the uprising started in 2011. She decided to stay in Syria, even as other doctors left. She worked in the town of Maarat al Numan, where there had been a shortage of doctors, and then moved to a hospital in her hometown of Idlib city. “I wanted to do what I can,” said Ikram, becoming visibly emotional.
“It’s so difficult for us to work under these conditions,” added Abrash, from the nearby town of Saraqeb, before rushing to a basement operating theatre to treat an injured man bleeding from wounds to his abdomen.For the roughly three-million Syrians packed into Idlib province, crossing the Turkish border to safety is a distant dream.
“We came to this camp to shelter from the winter,” said Mamdouh al Darfil, seated outside a 3m x 3m tent he and some of his family members share at the site, near the town of Maarat Misrin, north of Idlib city. He said he and his nine children had been displaced six times in the course of the conflict.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Turkey downs Syrian fighter jet in northwest IdlibTurkey shot down a Syrian fighter jet in Syria's Idlib province Tuesday, marking the third such incident in as many days, as steady clashes between the two national armies continued over a Russia-backed Syrian government offensive near the Turkish border.
Read more »
Fighting between Turkey and Syria escalates as refugees mass at border to EuropeIn Syria, Turkish troops shot down two Syrian warplanes after the Syrian military downed a Turkish drone, a major escalation in the direct conflict between Syrian and Turkish forces.
Read more »
Inside SA's plan to bring citizens home from coronavirus epicentreA full-scale military rescue mission is under way to evacuate more than 130 South Africans trapped in China's Wuhan city, as the epidemic tightens its grip on a nervous world uncertain what to expect next.
Read more »
Idlib assault intensifies ahead of Russia-Turkey talksShowdown comes ahead of meeting between presidents Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin this week
Read more »
Turkey downs Syrian fighter jet in northwest IdlibTurkey shot down a Syrian fighter jet in Syria's Idlib province Tuesday, marking the third such incident in as many days, as steady clashes between the two national armies continued over a Russia-backed Syrian government offensive near the Turkish border.
Read more »
Sturridge 'devastated' by ban until June, quits TrabzonsporFormer Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge said he was “devastated” after being banned until June by the Football Association (FA) for breaching its betting rules.
Read more »