UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The humanitarian situation throughout Syria is dire, with more than 11 million people in need of assistance and over 6 million people displaced, a UN spokesman said on Monday.
"We are particularly concerned over the safety and protection of some 3 million people in Idlib and surrounding areas of northwest Syria, including 1.6 million internally displaced people," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Over the weekend, airstrikes and shelling were reported in at least 20 communities in Idlib, Aleppo and Hama governorates. At least eight people, including two children, were reportedly killed and six others reportedly injured. In addition, a medical facility in Kansafra town in Idlib governorate was reportedly damaged in the attacks, said the spokesman.
The United Nations calls on all parties to the conflict to take necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, he said.
The 2018 population of Syria was 18.2 million people, according to the Statistics Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
