Damascus [Syria], December 6: Around 150,000 people have been forced to flee their homes amid escalating fighting between rebel-led forces and government troops in Syria, according to the United Nations.
"The number of Syrians forced to flee because of the fighting in Aleppo and beyond is growing rapidly," Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Syria, said in a post on social media platform X on Wednesday.
The number will "very likely continue to rise," he added.
Last week, insurgents led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive in north-west Syria and at the weekend it took control of Aleppo, the country's second-largest city.
The Syrian civil war, which started in 2011, has led to widespread displacement, with many seeking refuge in Europe.
Many Syrians found refuge in Lebanon, but insecurity has increased there due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militia there. A ceasefire between the two sides has recently come into force. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune