According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW), 30,000 civilians have fled the war to escape fighting between ISIS jihadists and other rebels in Syria over the past two days. HRW estimates that most of the civilians have left the surrounding regions in Aleppo on the borders with Turkey, where heavy clashes are in progress between ISIS terrorists and other rebel groups. HRW believes ISIS have managed to capture 6 villages on the border with Turkey, previously under the control of rebel groups. HWR blasted Turkey for using live ammunition against the refugees fleeing the war zone and called on the country to open its borders and receive the civilians. The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that between 21,000 and 23,000 civilians had abandoned their homes to escape the battles and were heading towards the city of Azaz in northern Syria. A UN official expressed grave concern, Thursday about the situation in Aleppo where there was a surge in violence. Since last Sunday more than 210 fighters in the region had been killed in battles. The city of Aleppo and the surrounding areas are considered of great strategic significance, according to the HRW. US Secretary of State John Kerry contacted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov reminding him of the importance of pressing Bashar al Assad to honour the cease-fire agreement. The Syrian opposition made made it clear that it would be willing to agree on an interim government made up of technocrats and diplomats of the Assad government, but not those who had committed crimes. UN Security Council Resolution 2254 provided the setting up of a government body and the drafting of a new constitution until summer, before holding parliamentary elections in 2017.