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S/2018/369 4/20 18-06043 Figure I Key dates in March 2018 9. Turkish forces, along with Syrian non-State armed opposition groups affiliated with Operation Euphrates Shield, continued Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, in Aleppo Governorate. On 20 January, the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations in New York indicated that Turkey had “initiated a military operation on 20 January 2018 … aimed at ensuring [the country’s] border security [and] neutralizing terrorists in Afrin” (see S/2018/53). On 18 March, Turkey reported that its forces had entered Afrin. There were also separate clashes between Turkish forces and allied non-State armed opposition groups with pro -Syrian government forces. There have been reports of civilian deaths, injuries and displacement. Military confrontations in Afrin district since 20 January have reportedly displaced over 137,000 people to the Tall Rif‘at area, Nubl, Zahra’, Fafin and surrounding villages. The need for humanitarian assistance among the displaced population is high, with the majority relying on it to meet their basic needs. Since 29 January, reports have indicated that the Turkish Red Crescent and other Turkish non -governmental organizations (NGOs) have provided humanitarian aid to 220,000 people in need in 133 different locations in Afrin district. The lack of freedom of movement for internally displaced persons is a major concern, as many are not permitted to proceed to Aleppo city, where there is greater capacity for the humanitarian community to provide assistance such as shelter. There are als o reports of displaced persons being prevented from returning to Afrin, despite some of them expressing their willingness to go back if the conditions are conducive. There is particular concern for the sick and injured among the displaced population, as th e only available hospital, in Zahra ’, lacks the capacity to address all medical needs as it has only 12 beds. A mechanism has been put in place for the medical evacuation of emergency cases to Aleppo city; however, it can take up to 15 days to obtain the a pproval of the Syrian authorities for medical evacuations of critical patients. On 28 March, 60 medical cases were evacuated to Aleppo city following a prolonged waiting period. On 1 March, humanitarian partners delivered cross-line humanitarian assistance from Aleppo to Afrin. On 25 March, a United Nations/Syrian Arab Red Crescent inter -agency convoy delivered food, non-food items and nutrition, health and water, sanitation and hygiene items sufficient for 50,000 people in need in Tall Rif ‘at. A cross-border shipment to Afrin from Turkey planned for early April was also being prepared in cooperation with the Turkish authorities. 10. Fighting continued in Idlib Governorate between government forces and non-State armed opposition groups, including air strikes and artillery shelling. Shelling on the towns of Fu‘ah and Kafraya, besieged by non-State armed opposition groups, was also reported. Clashes between non -State armed opposition groups were also reported. The Syrian Liberation Front, a group formed from th e Ahrar al-Sham and Nour al-Din al-Zanki groups, launched an offensive on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (the Levant Liberation Organization) across Idlib Governorate and the western part 25 March Convoy delivers assistance to internally displaced persons from Afrin in Tall Rif‘a