Humanitarian Situation and Response in Syria
Following the events started on November 27th, which culminated on December 8th with the fall of the government, SARD has initiated basic needs distributions in Aleppo, Homs and Idlib governorates.
Over the past 14 years, more than 13 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes, with 90% of the population within Syria now in need of humanitarian assistance.
The recent shift in power has prompted population movements, signaling potential hope for stability. However, these movements are directed toward areas lacking infrastructure and essential services, with urgent humanitarian needs persisting. The situation remains uncertain as communities face significant challenges.
Displaced children who fled the Aleppo countryside, stand at the back of a truck in Tabqa, Syria December 4, 2024. REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
Current Situation:
After nearly 14 years of conflict, 16.7 million people are in need of assistance - this number accounts for two thirds of the country’s population. Children make up 45% of those in need, with three out of every four children in Syria requiring urgent support
12.9 million people cannot meet their daily nutritional needs, and suffer from widespread food insecurity due to a weakened economy and agricultural constraints.
Since November 28th, one million people have been internally displaced, including 155,000 in secondary displacements. Women and children make up most of those displaced. Women and girls particularly make up 50% of the total.
The most affected governorates include Aleppo (542, 600 displaced persons), Hama (347, 100 displaced). In Homs governorate, 26, 000 people have been displaced.
Since December 8th, the IDP Task Force estimates that more than one million people have been newly displaced, in addition to the 3.5 million people displaced prior to the current situation. Of these, 2 million lived in camps under insecure conditions.
SARD bread and water distribution in Aleppo.
SARD Activities
SARD is conducting urgent needs assessments in Aleppo, Homs, and Idlib, including through its WASL teams. In parallel to these assessments, SARD has activated an emergency plan as of November 28th.
In Aleppo and Idlib, SARD is conducting rapid needs assessments to understand the immediate and mid-term needs of populations and returnees both in rural and urban areas.
In Homs, SARD is also conducting a needs assessment through WASL.
By December 10th, bread has been distributed to 3680 families, in 49 locations across Aleppo and Idlib governorates, comprising 18 communities. In Aleppo, drinking water has been distributed to 1672 families.
Distributions were organized to the homes of persons with disabilities, who could not reach the distribution sites, as well as to elderly homes, ensuring that vulnerable populations can get the support they need.
In hospitals, SARD conducted distributions to patients, including maternity wards, where women giving birth and people receiving medical care could receive essential support.
Bread distribution in Aleppo
Planned Response:
SARD is gathering informal feedback from people in Aleppo, to identify needs and assess future projections, as well as impact on returnees.
SARD is actively collaborating with humanitarian partners and clusters to align with sector priorities and prevent duplication of efforts.
Efforts are being made to identify opportunities for expanding activities throughout Syria, with the goal of reaching more individuals in underserved regions.