GENEVA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 300,000 civilians have fled the Idlib region of Syria since the sharp escalation of hostilities in mid-December, and every day there are disturbing reports of families caught in violence, a United Nations (UN) official said here on Tuesday.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a press briefing that several people in Idlib were sheltering in schools, mosques and other public buildings.

He said that 13 health facilities had recently had to suspend their work, and that airstrikes and shelling were taking place in many towns and villages on a daily basis.

He stressed that during armed conflicts civilians had to be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Answering questions from the press, Laerke stated that although more recent figures were currently not available, between May and August 2019 at least 1,300 civilians had been killed by airstrikes and shelling in the region.