Tens of thousands flee new Syria offensives

Tens of thousands have fled new regime offensives in Syria, the UN warned today, as Russian air strikes were reported to have so far killed 370 people, many of them civilians.
The mass exodus was focused south of Syria's second city Aleppo, one of five areas where regime troops have launched renewed attacks since Russia began its air war on September 30.
"Around 35,000 people are reported to have been displaced from... The southwestern outskirts of Aleppo city, following government offensives over the last few days," said Vanessa Huguenin, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

She said many of the displaced were living with host families and in informal settlements in the west of the province.
"People urgently need food and basic household and shelter items," she said.
"Aid agencies are growing more and more concerned for families living outdoors as the weather is getting colder, especially overnight."

Syria's conflict has left more than 250,000 dead and forced millions from their homes since March 2011, sparking a mass migration of refugees that has left Europe struggling to cope.
Russia has carried out more than 500 air raids in support of President Bashar al-Assad's forces and a monitoring group today gave the first estimate for the total number of dead in the strikes.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 370 people had been killed, including more than 120 civilians.
Among them were 45 rebels and civilians killed yesterday in a series of Russian strikes in the north of government stronghold Latakia province, it said.
Dozens were also wounded in yesterday's raids, some of the deadliest yet in the Russian campaign, and a rebel commander from a moderate opposition group was among the dead, it said.
The Observatory also said tens of thousands were fleeing the new offensives, estimating that up to 100,000 had been forced from their homes in Hama, Aleppo and Latakia provinces.