ALEPPO, Syria — Residents of eastern Aleppo who fled Syrian regime forces for western Aleppo and the Idlib area are suffering under tragic conditions. They are having a hard time finding places to live, given the thousands of displaced people and refugees flooding the areas. In addition, they can't find jobs under the harsh economic conditions prevailing in Syria as a result of the civil war that has plagued the country for six years now.

The International Committee of the Red Cross estimated that during just one week in mid-December, 34,000 people were evacuated from the eastern Aleppo area, many of them headed for Idlib. Thousands more were waiting to leave.

Idlib is about 35 miles southwest of Aleppo, far away from the clashes, and it is rarely targeted by warplanes and helicopters, unlike Aleppo’s northern countryside, which is witnessing fierce battles between the rebels and the Islamic State (IS) around al-Bab. The opposition-held western countryside of Aleppo also has been targeted by warplanes and artillery shells by regime forces.

Although Idlib was the safest choice, moving there did not solve the problems facing Aleppo residents who left their homes in hopes of starting a new life. Job opportunities in the small province of 6 square kilometers (2.3 square miles) are almost nonexistent for newcomers, especially since hundreds of thousands of Syrians have moved to the area during the past two years.