Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria

Thank you, Mr. President 

In recent weeks, the world’s attention has been fixed on the crisis in Israel and OPT, and rightly so. 

But at the same time, we must not turn away from humanitarian crises that persist elsewhere, on a vast scale, including in the same region. I join you today from Cairo, having spent the past week visiting a number of countries in the region, including Syria.

I therefore appreciate this opportunity to update you on the humanitarian situation in Syria, where the humanitarian emergency has continued to deepen in the weeks since our last meeting.

This month, as you heard from the Special Envoy, several areas across northern Syria experienced a serious escalation in hostilities.

In north-west Syria, we have seen the most significant escalation in violence since 2019. According to the Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights, at least 70 civilians had been killed as of 20 October, including 36 women and 14 children. The civilian fatalities span both government areas – notably as the Special Envoy has said, the drone attack on the Homs military academy graduation ceremony on 5 October – and non-Government areas. Many more have been injured. 

Over the span of two weeks, from 5 to 18 October, more than 120,000 people were displaced in Idleb and western Aleppo. The hostilities also damaged critical infrastructure and service, including more than 40 health facilities, two dozen schools and more than 20 water systems. This also temporarily affected the main power station in Idleb.

Attacks, including airstrikes and artillery shelling have continued on a near-daily basis, with reports of more people being killed and injured in the past week – including, alarmingly, a growing number of children.

One of these children was Sami, a fifteen-year old boy who was displaced to Idleb City four years ago, and whose father, Nabil, works as a driver for a national NGO that partners with the United Nations. He died on 26 October, along with his childhood friend Ali, due to shelling in Idleb City. His mother told OCHA colleagues that the boys had gathered that day to play football. She said: “We are afraid all the time with the increasing fighting, and we try to stay inside. We need to be protected. We want to live in peace and security.”

While about half of those displaced by the violence have reportedly returned to their homes, many tens of thousands remain fearful of returning, further adding to the cohort of 2.9 million people already displaced in the north-west. And reports have continued to emerge of additional displacement in recent days.

Women and girls, who make up 80% of those in displacement camps and informal sites, continue to bear the most severe consequences. They face, as reported before, pervasive threats of gender-based violence and barriers to equitably accessing services and assistance. Hostilities have impeded life-saving sexual and reproductive health care and gender-based violence services.

Let me turn to the north-east, where a spike in hostilities earlier this month damaged a range of critical civilian infrastructure, including power stations and water facilities, as has also been said, in Al-Hasakeh, Qamishli, Tal Tamer, and other areas. Disruptions to electricity have impacted water and health facilities; and increased the demand for fuel for generators and heating as the winter months approach. This has further inflated already-high prices for fuel, transportation, food and other commodities.

While many services have since been restored, these disruptions to already precarious electricity, water and fuel supplies continue to make life extremely challenging for a vulnerable population and place a heightened demand on overstretched humanitarian services.

Mr. President,

I again echo the Secretary-General in urging all parties across Syria to respect their obligations under international law. Parties must take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects – including essential infrastructure – in accordance with international humanitarian law. The Special Envoy spoke to these issues as well.

The escalation in hostilities has also had a deep impact on humanitarian workers and operations, particularly in the north-west of the country. Three aid workers were among those killed, and many organizations were forced to temporarily suspend operations. Some activities, including nutrition services and safe spaces for women and girls, remain suspended.

Nevertheless, the UN and humanitarian partners have continued efforts to get critical assistance to those affected by the conflict. This includes the provision of clean water, waste management, food, tents, protection services, and emergency medical supplies - including sexual and reproductive health supplies - to displaced women and sergices to displaced people generally; and includes the provision of vital support to health facilities.

In particular, the ability to deliver assistance at scale across the border from Türkiye has been indispensable in meeting the vast and increasing humanitarian needs. In the past six weeks, some 251 trucks have brought in critical supplies through the Bab al-Hawa or Bab al-Salam crossings.We have asked the Government of Syria to extend its permission for the use of the Bab al-Salam and al-Ra’ee crossings beyond 13 November for as long as humanitarian needs continue, to ensure we can provide essential humanitarian assistance in a predictable and sustainable way. 

As part of our commitment to providing assistance to those who need it by whatever means possible, we continue efforts to facilitate the cross-line delivery of supplies to key areas in the north-west, and throughout the country. And we shall continue to do so.

Mr. President,

If the escalation in hostilities were not enough, the continued economic crisis – including the steep decline in the Syrian pound and high inflation rates – is contributing to raising prices for food and other items to further record highs. 

The combined impact of all these factors is not only piling immense pressure on an already-vulnerable population, a story I heard while I was in Syria. It is also further increasing the reliance on humanitarian assistance for basic survival. Consider, for example, Um Ahmad, a single mother in Hama, who was forced to make the difficult choice to pull her son out of school, so he could help support the family. Her story is becoming increasingly common.

It is with deep concern, therefore, that I report we have seen little improvement over the past month in the serious funding shortfalls affecting our operations. Ten months into the year, the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan has received $1.6 billion of the $5.4 billion requested.  We are deeply appreciative of the support of donors and count on their support for more funding. 

As we have repeatedly warned, this is translating into a significant constraint on our ability to provide critical assistance throughout the country, including reductions in food distributions, the closure of safe spaces for women and girls, and the scaling back of health services in medical facilities. It is even more concerning as we approach the winter season, with an estimated 5.7 million people across the country in need of humanitarian support for critical shelter and household items. These are lifesaving items in the cold months.

We are doing what we can to prioritize assistance within the resources available. The United Nations’ Syria Humanitarian Fund and Syria Cross-Border Humanitarian Fund are allocating nearly $50 million to mitigate the impact of the harsh winter conditions in vulnerable communities. This includes the provision of tents and shelter, household items, water and sanitation support, and cash-based assistance, as well as efforts to boost early recovery and resilience. 

But without additional funding, without additional resources, many people will go without the support they need to get through the harsh winter months.

Mr. President,

This is a deeply concerning time for the region, and indeed for the world.  

And there is no shortage of crises crying out for our attention. 

But with more than 15 million people in need of critical humanitarian and protection support in ever more challenging conditions, the situation in Syria is one that unquestionably demands our continued focus and attention.

Thank you.

**

by Ms. Edem Wosornu, OCHA Director of Operations and Advocacy, on behalf of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths