Date: Oct 17, 2019 Source: The Daily Star U.N. Security Council concerned by situation in northeast Syria UNITED NATIONS: The U.N. Security Council said Wednesday it was concerned by the risks of a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in northeast Syria and the escape of Daesh (ISIS) fighters but made no reference to a Turkish assault on Syrian Kurdish militia in the area that began a week ago. "Members of the Security Council expressed deep concerns over the risks of dispersion of terrorists from UN-designated groups, including ISIL," the statement said, using an acronym for Daesh. All 15 Council members including Russia, a key player in the conflict, declared themselves "very concerned (about) a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in northeastern Syria. The council agreed the brief statement after meeting for the second time behind closed doors since the Turkish operation began, forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee and raising doubt about the fate of thousands of Islamic State fighters in Kurdish jails. Earlier Wednesday, the head of Belgium's national anti-terrorist agency said that two Belgian extremists have escaped from detention in northeast Syria since the Turkish offensive against Kurdish forces in the region began. According to MPs, Paul Van Tigchelt, head of Belgium's OCAM counter-terror analysis body, told a parliamentary commission: "It happened in recent days, certainly after the Turkish offensive began."