The United Nations announced yesterday that some 200 families are still besieged in the small Bagouz area east of Syria by the terrorist "Da'ash" organization, calling on the Syrian Democratic Forces (Qods) to protect civilians as they advance their organization in the battle to seize the last pocket under control The militant group, which it accused of escalating guerrilla warfare in Syria.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michele Bachelet, said that the families are still stuck in the Al-Bagouz area, which is controlled by Da'ash in eastern Syria, pointing out that some of them were prevented from leaving the besieged Bagouz in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor. The Commissioner called for a safe passage for families.
"Many of them (families) are still being subjected to intense air and ground strikes by the US-led coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces, their ally on the ground," Bachelet said in a statement.
Bachelet said the Syrian government forces and their allies have intensified a bombing campaign on Idlib and its surrounding areas in northwest Syria, in the past few weeks, accompanied by attacks by armed groups that killed civilians.
Medics and witnesses said a double explosion occurred yesterday in the center of Idlib, controlled by the armed opposition, resulted in the deaths of 15 people and dozens of injured. Bachelet said the death toll was 16, and more than 70 injured.
Bachelet also expressed concern about some 20,000 people who fled the areas controlled by the «Dahesh» in Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria in the past few weeks. They said they were being held in makeshift camps run by Kurdish armed groups, including Syrian Democratic forces, which prevent some from leaving the camps.
"We understand that (da'ash) is preventing some, if not all, families from leaving, so this is a possible war crime to commit," said Robert Colville, spokesman for Bachelet in a press statement.
He added that international law obliges the Syrian Democratic forces, which are attacking the hardline organization, to take precautionary measures to protect civilians among foreign fighters.
"There is a need to give special attention to civilians, they must be treated humanely, and they should be allowed to leave the camps. Should not be held in detention, unless they are suspected of having committed a specific offense. "
It is noteworthy that the battles raged recently between the Syrian Democratic forces and «Daash», US air cover, in the pocket of the Baguz, which is located east of the Euphrates River near the Iraqi border.
The Da'ash organization in north-eastern Syria has resorted to sweeping large areas of the areas from which they fled during the past few days, at a time when Kurdish forces have tightened their grip on them.
Syrian-backed US-led Syrian forces continued their advance in organizing a "preacher" in a battle to seize the last enclave under the control of the militant group in eastern Syria. The leaders of the Syrian Democratic Forces said the presence of militants among civilians forced their fighters to proceed with caution.
A witness said the pace of fighting had subsided yesterday, as the organization's fighters were seen roaming their last pocket in the town of Baguoz near the Iraqi border, where they were sheltering civilians.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said yesterday that the Da'ash organization had stepped up guerrilla attacks against its fighters in eastern Syria, citing the threat posed by militants even after they lost their last stronghold there.
For his part, the military commander of the army of rebels of the Free Army, Djouar Idlib: "For the fifth day the front is relatively calm only when responding to the sources of fire, and targeting the movements of elements (da'ash) who prevent civilians from leaving.
He added: "We are besieging the town of Al-Bagouz from the northern and eastern sides, and elements (da'ash) under the range of our fire, and the distance between us and the elements (da'ash) ranging between 250 and 500 meters».
Idlib revealed that his forces had arrested dozens of elements «da'ash» during the battles of the hybrid and the Sousse and Albabuz, most of them are Turkish nationality, and were not killed, but arrested.
For his part, spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces Mustafa Bali, said that efforts are continuing to isolate the civilians and evacuation, and so far forces «Qsd» committed to the truce, pointing out that its operations are focused on targeting the elements «da'ash» after monitoring them based on reconnaissance aircraft.
"The Da'ash fighters have intensified their attacks away from the last front over the past few days," said Mustafa Bali.
The group launched two attacks three days ago in the village of Thiban, 90 km north of the Baguz.
The first attack, which was an ambush, killed two Syrian Democratic Forces fighters and one of the organization's fighters. Bali said the second attack, carried out on the same evening by a group of foreign fighters, saw the deaths of three militants and the capture of two by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
"There are sleeper cells moving every day," he said. "These days, the organization is working intensively on them, and it is still strong. That is to say, ending the military presence of a da'ash does not mean eliminating it."