UN: 16.5M Syrians in urgent need of assistance

ISTANBUL

The UN said on Thursday that Syria's humanitarian crisis remains one of the largest in the world, with 16.5 million people requiring urgent assistance.

Despite the hope that followed the overthrow of the Assad regime last December, the situation continues to deteriorate, says Adam Abdelmoula, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria.

Abdelmoula briefed journalists in New York via video link from Damascus, highlighting the dire conditions still facing the country.

According to the UN, the presence of landmines and explosive remnants of war has led to over 600 casualties since December, a third of them children.

Since December, around 1.2 million people have returned to their homes, including 885,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 302,000 refugees. The UNHCR projects that up to 3.5 million refugees and IDPs may return this year, but this return is hindered by the lack of basic services, ongoing security risks, and missing legal documentation.

In addition, the freeze of humanitarian funding in January has had a particularly devastating impact on operations in northeastern Syria, especially in IDP camps and informal settlements.

While there has been some movement toward recovery, hostilities continue in northern, southern, and coastal regions, displacing thousands and making it difficult for humanitarian aid to reach those in need. Recent escalations in coastal areas have resulted in hundreds of casualties and substantial damage to infrastructure, including healthcare facilities.

Abdelmoula stressed that all parties must commit to de-escalation and ensure unhindered access for aid.

After the collapse of the Assad regime in December, the new Syrian authorities launched an initiative to settle the status of former regime members in the military and security forces, contingent on their surrendering weapons and remaining untainted by bloodshed.

While tens of thousands accepted the initiative, some armed groups made up of regime remnants, particularly in the coastal region where high-ranking Assad officers were stationed, rejected it.

Over time, these groups fled to the mountainous areas, stirring tensions, destabilizing the region, and launching sporadic attacks against government forces in recent weeks.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in late January.