At least six children killed in northwest Syria overnight
Statement by Bertrand Bainvel, acting UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa
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AMMAN, 3 February 2022 – “ UNICEF confirms that at least six children were killed and one girl was badly injured overnight in the border town of Atmeh in the northwest of Syria due to heavy violence.
“According to reports, civilian-populated areas were severely damaged.
“Since the year began, violence has heavily escalated in and around Idlib in Syria’s northwest, home to 1.2 million children in need of assistance. Many families in the area are internally displaced, having fled violence in other parts of Syria over the years.
“Last year, nearly 70 per cent of grave violations recorded against children in Syria occurred in the northwest.
“This recent increase in violence comes amid freezing weather conditions and record sub-zero temperatures in Syria and the region. At least five Syrian children died in the north of Syria due to harsh winter conditions in the past two weeks alone”.
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