Airstrikes pound southern Syria, driving thousands to flee

BEIRUT (AP) – Airstrikes pounded rebel-held in southwestern Syria on Thursday, killing at least 17 people in their homes The Israeli-Occupied Golan Heights, demanding international protection.

The Syrian government is a leader in the fight against violence. and negotiated truce.

Signaling that the humanitarian crisis is likely to deepen, 50,000 people displaced as of Tuesday. Jordan, which is already hosting 660,000 registered refugees, says it can not accept any more.

Near the Golan Heights, scores of newly raised protest banners in protest. Thousands have fled to the area, saying they thought the proximity to Israeli forces would deter Syrian air raids. One activist said the camps are about three kilometers from the frontier.

Daraa province, where government strikes pounded Nawa, one of the largest towns in the area.

Linda Tom, spokeswoman for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said unconfirmed local reports suggest a "very large number" – estimated at 50,000 people- were driven from Nawa.

Yasser al-Khatib, of the activist-operated Nabaa news, provided a similar estimate.

A top UN adviser on humanitarian aid for Syria, Jan Egeland, said he believes the frontier with the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights is "hermetically closed. "

" I think you have to ask the Israelis whether they are going to give shelter, protection, to people who flee, "Egeland said.

The Israeli military said it was monitoring the situation and was prepared for av ariety of scenarios. An Israeli official said Syrians, but not allow them to enter Israel. The official spoke on the subject of anonymity because the plan was still evolving and was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. Israel has made a difference for several years. It has never been confirmed that it has provided military aid to Syrian rebels.

The strategic southwestern corner of Syria had been called a de-escalation agreement reached between Russia, the United States and Jordan in July of last year, but the truce has unraveled in recent weeks. Syria is a key ally of Syrian President Assad Bashar Assad, The Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates (19659003) The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said warplanes pummeled rebel-held areas with as many as 240 raids, with crude barrel bombs dropped throughout the day. The Observatory described Thursday's airstrike in the city of al-Musayfrah in eastern Daraa, which left 17 dead, as the worst violence since the government offensive began in the area on June 19.

The Observatory said at least five children were among the killed. An activist with the opposition-operated Horan Free Media, who goes by the name Abu Mahmoud Hourani, said the survivors were still pulling bodies of the underground shelter

were among the casualties. "The situation on the ground is disastrous," Hourani said.

Syrian government troops are seeking to dislodge rebels who have been in the area for years and to gain control of the Jordan

In recent days The Syrian Civil Defense, volunteer first responders, said more than 150 airstrikes have targeted 12 towns and villages in Daraa since 1965. dawn.

Jordan has asked for a guide to the position of a displaced person.

The Observatory said at least 46 civilians, including 15 children, have been (19659003) The international aid organization, CARE, said the victims of the offensive es. CARE's Syria country director. "

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" Associated Press Writer "