The United Nations human rights chief warned on Friday that civilians in Syria's southwestern Daraa province may be trapped in a siege situation and subjected to bombing and shelling that would lead to a "catastrophe".
In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said his office had reports that ISIS militants trying to control Yarmouk basin in Daraa province are "not allowing civilians to leave areas under their control".
Zeid said that some regime-run checkpoints were charging people several hundred dollars to pass through and he appealed to all sides to provide safe passage to those wishing to flee.
On Thursday, a barrage of Russian strikes on towns in southern Syria killed at least 25 civilians, the bloodiest day yet of the regime’s offensive in the strategic region.
The bombardment has forced more than 45,000 people to flee in search of safety, according to the United Nations, while others huddle in their basements to wait out the raids.
At the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Britain, France and the United States condemned Russia's role in the offensive.
French ambassador Francois Delattre called on "everyone, starting with Russia, to uphold their commitments so that this offensive ceases immediately".
Israel's military said Friday it has delivered about 60 tons of humanitarian aid and medicine to thousands of displaced Syrians in the Golan Heights who flocked to the area, fleeing the heavy bombardment in southwestern Syria.
It said it can't allow Syrians to enter Israel.
