Idlib is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria on the border with Turkey. Before the conflict, the governorate had a population of 1.5 million people. The UN estimates that some 3 million people live in Idlib today, nearly half of whom have already been forced to flee their homes multiple times. Over half the population are children, and widowed women headed many households.

 Idlib faces rising acute levels of malnutrition in Idlib province, and as many as 1.6 million people in the province rely on food assistance. Despite aid coming via the border crossing with Turkey, food and medicine are in short supply. For most people, especially the displaced, life is hard – they rely on aid from humanitarian agencies and income from any job they can find.

 Idlib is one of the last few (and the largest) rebel strongholds in Syria. The Syrian government and its allies intends to deliver the final military blow against the rebel fighters and their civilian supporters who rose up more than seven years ago demanding regime change. The UN estimates that as many as 800,000 people could be forced to flee in the event of an attack.

 Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to prevent a Syrian regime offensive in Idlib. How long will this hold?

In an exclusive interview, Radio Islam International spoke to Bilal Abul Kareem, an American journalist on the ground in Idlib.