Tens of thousands flee, fearing fresh violence in Syria's Idlib province

BEIRUT - Before civil war devastated Syria, the northwestern province of Idlib was known for its olive groves and the abandoned but well-preserved archaeological remains of the so-called Dead Cities.

In the years since fighting erupted in 2011, Idlib became the largest rebel-held territory in the northern part of the country, and it remains home to many of President Bashar Assad's most implacable foes.

Now, with opposition forces facing defeat in other parts of Syria, the Assad government has turned its sights to Idlib.

The estimated 2 million people living there face a grim choice: Stay and risk being killed in the fighting, or flee toward the Turkish border to