The United Nations (UN) said 235,000 civilians had fled their homes in rebel-held northwestern Syria during a Russian-backed campaign of air strikes and shelling this month.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the exodus had taken place between Dec.12 and Dec.25.

Most people had fled the city of Maarat Al Numan, towns and villages in southern Idlib province, Idlib city, and camps along the Syrian-Turkish border, OCHA said.

“With the latest escalation of violence in northwest Syria, civilians in Idlib governorate are again suffering from the devastating consequences of hostilities,” it said.

OCHA said Maarat Al Numan and the surrounding countryside “are reportedly almost empty.” Syrian forces are advancing on Maarat Al Numan.

Thousands of families were also reported to be too frightened to move, fearing air strikes and shelling.

Abu Al Majd Nasser, who fled to the border with his family from the town of Telmanas, said Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to kill every Syrian who opposes the regime.” Moscow and Damascus deny claims of indiscriminate bombing of civilians, saying say they are fighting militants.

Rescue services and witnesses say hostilities have left many towns in ruins and knocked out dozens of medical centres.

US President Donald Trump has spoken out against the “carnage” involving thousands of civilians in Syria.

“Russia, Syria, and Iran are killing, or on their way to killing, thousands of innocent civilians in Idlib province. Don’t do it! Turkey is working hard to stop this carnage,” Trump said on Twitter on Thursday.

The Syrian army said this week it had seized more than 300km of territory in the assault to end “terrorist” control of Idlib, killing hundreds of “terrorists.” Taking Maarat Al Numan would take the Syrian army into densely populated rebel-held parts of Idlib province, where millions of people who fled fighting elsewhere in Syria have taken refuge.

The Russian and Syrian advance towards Idlib is also piling pressure on Turkey, which has a presence in the area and is seen by many civilians as a protector against Russian strikes.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country cannot handle a fresh wave of migrants from Syria, warning that Europe will feel the impact of such an influx if the bombing is not stopped. Separately, a Bosnian man who pleaded guilty to terrorism charges was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday for organising a terrorist group and fighting for the Daesh militant group in Syria, a Bosnian court said.

Ibro Cufurovic, from the northwestern town of Velika Kladusa, has been in custody since his extradition from Syria in April.

He had previously been detained for about two years by a Kurdish militia in Syria.

The court cited mitigating circumstances while explaining its ruling on Cufurovic, who had used the name Abu Kasim Albosni during his five years in Syria, where he took part in militant activities alongside other Bosnians.

“The defendant admitted he was guilty,” said Hasija Masovic, the court council’s chairwoman. “At the time when he made the decision to leave for Syria, the defendant was only 19.” Masovic said Cufurovic had repeatedly expressed regret for his actions and had attempted to return to Bosnia, according to the defence and witnesses.

Hundreds of Bosnian citizens are believed to have left to fight for Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Many foreign nationals are now in detention camps waiting to be handed over to their countries of origin.

Last week, a group of 25 former Daesh militants, women and children, some of them orphaned, returned to Bosnia.

Seven men were detained and questioned, while six women and 12 children, among them Cufurovic’s wife and children, were taken to a reception centre for further examination and medical assistance.

Cufurovic had told the court that he fought in Syria in 2014 and 2015, but that he was detained in 2016 while trying to escape to Turkey with his family, and imprisoned.

Reuters