UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are scaling up operations in northwest Syria to aid thousands of people fleeing hostilities in the Idlib and Aleppo regions mostly toward Turkey, a UN spokesman said Thursday.

"Reports from the ground indicate that thousands of civilians are on the move, from around the M5 highway, with most people moving further north and northwest toward the Turkey-Syria border," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "Civilians remain in harm's way as hostilities continue in Idlib and Aleppo."

"The UN and our humanitarian partners are continuing to scale up operations on the ground to respond to the needs of civilians, including by providing food, shelter and other forms of essential assistance," Dujarric said.

Inclement weather, including snowfall, is exacerbating the situation, both for civilians on the move and for those who remain in unfinished buildings and camp settings, the spokesman said.

For days he has been describing at regular briefings the plight of civilians in the region where hostilities have been increasing in what had been designated as a "de-escalation zone."

Earlier this week Dujarric said the number of refugees since December 2019 was estimated to be approaching the 700,000 mark, with at least 85 civilians, including 20 women and 27 children, killed in the first 10 days of this month alone. Enditem

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