Latest updates on country situation
17 July 2024
New rapprochement talks between Türkiye and Syria about returning Syrian refugees to the latter are raising concerns of forced returns and aggravating the IDP situation in Syria. There are around 7.2 million IDPs in the country, with more being recorded in 2024 given the spontaneous return of refugees from neighbouring countries, who cannot go back to their original place of residence because of conflict and violence. Almost half (3.4 million) live in northwestern Syria, including 1.9 million in over 1,500 last-resort informal settlements and collective centres lacking proper camp management and basic services. IDPs comprise 33% of the 16.7 million people in Syria needing humanitarian assistance in 2024, with 5.5 million IDPs requiring aid. In 2023, around 85% of IDPs in camps and 74% of out-of-camp IDPs reported being unable to meet their basic needs. Forced returns could worsen this already strained situation. (VOA 14/07/2024, TNA 11/07/2024, OCHA 03/03/2024)
01 May 2024
In 2024, over 650,000 Syrian children under five are estimated to suffer from chronic malnutrition, which causes irreversible physical and cognitive issues, such as stunting. This affects learning and productivity, as well as future earnings. Food needs are widespread countrywide but notably in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, Hama, Idleb, and Quneitra governorates. Over half the population in these governorates needs food assistance. Five governorates, including Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, and Idleb, report chronic malnutrition rates of over 20%. Food insecurity stems from the prolonged conflict that started in 2011 and Syria’s dire socioeconomic situation. The latter has been deteriorating since 2019 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial system collapse in neighbouring Lebanon, the intensification of US sanctions, and the impact of the February 2023 earthquakes. Approximately 16.7 million Syrians, including 7.5 million children, are projected to require humanitarian assistance in 2024. (UNICEF 14/03/2024, OCHA 03/03/2024, HRW 22/06/2023)
07 February 2024
One year after the earthquakes that hit Syria and Türkiye in February 2023, humanitarian needs in both countries persist. In Türkiye, as at 18 January 2024, over 670,000 earthquake-displaced people still lived in temporary shelters, mainly in container sites, and needed shelter, NFIs, and WASH assistance. In Syria, the earthquakes aggravated an already existing humanitarian crisis driven by a 12-year conflict accompanied by economic deterioration. In 2024, the number of people estimated to be in need throughout the country increased by 1.4 million compared to the 2023 projection. In northwestern Syria, the area most affected by the earthquake and conflict, over 800,000 people lived in tents and makeshift shelters as at 5 February 2024. Around 2.1 million will require shelter support in 2024, while 1.1 million will require NFI support. WASH, health, and protection needs also remain high in the region. (OCHA 21/12/2023, GSC 05/02/2024, Global Shelter Cluster 25/01/2024)
19 January 2024
On 16 January 2024, heavy rains in Syria resulted in high water levels in the Orontes River and its tributaries. The flooding, accompanied by strong winds, significantly affected IDP sites and towns in Northwest Syria, particularly in Idleb governorate, with the western countryside suffering the most damage. Preliminary estimates indicate that as at 19 January, the floods and strong winds had affected approximately 9,700 people in 276 IDP sites. As at 2023, there were 2.87 million IDPs in Northwest Syria, with around 1.99 million residing in over 1,500 IDP sites. The harsh winter conditions, including floods and strong winds, have heightened their existing needs for shelter, WASH, and health assistance driven by continuing conflict and the February 2023 earthquakes. (ECHO 19/01/2024, Enab Baladi 19/01/2024, OCHA 27/12/2023)
12 October 2023
The Syrian Government fired air strikes on Idleb and western Aleppo governorates between 5–13 October 2023, killing more than 50 people, injuring over 300, and displacing nearly 70,000. The displaced are staying in existing IDP sites and camps in Idleb and Aleppo. They need shelter, food, and NFIs. Most injured people have received treatment at hospitals in the area, such as the Sham Surgical Hospital, but insecurity has fully or partially suspended operations in about 25 other health centres. The air strikes resulted in widespread infrastructure damage, including 17 schools and education centres, disrupting education for about 28,000 displaced children. The shelling also affected markets, humanitarian organisation offices, and the main power station in Idleb. The air strikes came after an attack on Homs governorate that killed 100 people on 5 October, which no armed group has claimed responsibility for. (OCHA 13/10/2023, ECHO 12/10/2023, The New Arab 10/10/2023)
06 September 2023
By 6 September 2023, ten days of clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the Arab-led Military Council militia had resulted in at least 54 unconfirmed deaths. The fighting erupted in the countryside of Deir-ez-Zor city in northeastern Syria. Displacement has been observed, mainly to Al-Mayadeen west of Euphrates River, but there is not enough information on the numbers or scale. Curfews, blockages in the main roads of many towns, and road damage have resulted in shortages of essential commodities, such as bread and flour. Clashes have also damaged critical public infrastructure, such as hospitals and water treatment facilities. Some of the immediate needs include shelter, drinking water, and food. Deir-ez-Zor and northeastern Syria in general already face a humanitarian crisis, with 12 years of conflict displacing almost 700,000 people in northeastern Syria alone. These people are almost entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. (Enab Baladi 05/09/2023,
OCHA 04/09/2023, MSF accessed 06/09/2023)
18 July 2023
As at 19 July 2023, the UNSC Resolution 2672 (2023), which expired on 10 July, has still not been renewed. The resolution allowed the delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to northwest Syria through Bab Al Hawa crossing, on the Syria-Türkiye border.
Following the February earthquakes, the Syrian government allowed the use of two other crossings on the Syria-Türkiye border to deliver aid and assistance to the affected population in northwestern Syria. The permission comes to an end on 13 August.
The 12 years of conflict and the earthquakes in February 2023 resulted in significant humanitarian needs for the population in northwestern Syria. Priority needs are shelter, food, and health assistance.
Failing to renew the cross-border resolution on the use of Bab Al Hawa border-crossing jeopardizes the main UN-coordinated aid delivery mechanism to northwestern Syria. The cross-border humanitarian operation provides aid for around four million people in the region, including around three million IDPs, of which around 1.9 million live in 1,420 camps and informal sites.
(ACAPS 16/06/2023, AP News 15/07/2023, Aljazeera 13/05/2023)
current crises
in
Syria
These crises have been identified through the INFORM Severity Index, a tool for measuring and comparing the severity of humanitarian crises globally.
REG015 - Turkiye / Syria earthquake (regional crisis)
Last updated 19/06/2024
Drivers
Earthquake
Crisis level
Regional
Severity level
3.6 High
Access constraints
4.0
SYR002 - Türkiye / Syria earthquake
Last updated 28/08/2024
Drivers
Earthquake
Crisis level
Country
Severity level
3.1 High
Access constraints
4.0
REG004 - Syrian Regional Crisis
Last updated 30/06/2024
Drivers
Crisis level
Regional
Severity level
4 High
Access constraints
4.0
SYR001 - Conflict
Last updated 28/08/2024
Drivers
Conflict
Displacement
Violence
Crisis level
Country
Severity level
4.6 Very High
Access constraints
4.0
Analysis products
on
Syria
29 September 2023
Syria: Capacity-strengthening needs in NWS non-government-controlled areas
DOCUMENT / PDF / 290 KB
This report explores the capacity-strengthening needs of the local NGOs (LNGOs) headquartered and registered in Türkiye and the local responders operating in the nongovernment- controlled areas of Northwest Syria (NWS) – Idleb and northern Aleppo – following the February 2023 earthquake response and the July 2023 non-renewal of the UNSC cross-border resolution. The capacity-strengthening needs are categorised based on the three strategic pillars of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA).
04 August 2023
Northern Syria: key crises to watch
DOCUMENT / PDF / 1,016 KB
This report provides an overview of three key humanitarian crises in northern Syria that are expected to deteriorate or see a significant humanitarian impact in the next 6 to 12 months.
Attached resources
21 July 2023
Syria: Cross-border resolution expiration
DOCUMENT / PDF / 2 MB
This report aims to provide an overview of the humanitarian impact of the failure of the UN Security Council to renew the mandate for crossborder delivery of humanitarian aid into Northwest Syria (NWS) after its expiry on 10 July 2023 and the contextual dynamics around this.
Attached resources
16 June 2023
Syria: Assessing increased protection risks and vulnerabilities after the earthquakes
DOCUMENT / PDF / 288 KB
The report provides an overview of the main protection threats in NWS that the February earthquakes have worsened. It is not a comprehensive list of all protection threats in the region. The analysis includes the differentiated impact on the population and the most at-risk groups.