Syria: Flash update on recent events - 3 August 2017

This update provides a summary of recent displacement, along with developments from the UNHCR co-led Sector/Clusters of Protection, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) and Shelter/Non Food Items (SNFI).

KEY DISPLACEMENT STATISTICS (AS OF 25 JULY 2017)

• 938,054 displacements recorded by the CCCM Cluster in the last 12 months from affected areas of northern and southern Syria:

• 897,936 displacements from affected areas of northern Syria, including Aleppo (357,798), Ar-Raqqa (253,413), Hama (165,940), Idleb (55,515), Homs (33,738), Deir-Ez-Zor (13,781), Al-Hassakeh (16,360), Lattakia (1,391) governorates, northern Syria. This includes around 73,400 new displacements recorded in June 2017 alone, and 38,396 new displacements so far in July 2017, with the majority from Ar-Raqqa Governorate.

• 40,118 displacements from affected areas of Damascus, Rural Damascus, Sweida and Dar’a, south-western Syria. This includes around 4,700 new displacements recorded in June 2017 alone, and 545 new displacements so far in July 2017.

CONTEXTUAL DEVELOPMENTS

• According to the media reports, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are on the verge of seizing full control of the southern neighborhoods of Ar-Raqqa.

• In southern Syria, the ceasefire announced on 9 July has continued to hold across much of Dar’a and Quneitra governorates, despite occasional incidents still being reported. Convoys continue to transport humanitarian assistance across the Ramtha border crossing between Jordan and Syria.

• A polio immunization campaign led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has been underway in Deir-Ez-Zor Governorate since 22 July. Two immunization rounds are planned for July and August targeting children under five in Deir-Ez-Zor and Ar-Raqqa governorates.

HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

• On 30 July, an inter-agency convoy delivered supplies for 7,200 people in the besieged town of Nashabiyeh in eastern Ghouta, Rural Damascus. This is the first time aid reached the town.

• On 29 July, an inter-agency convoy reached hard-to-reach Deir Khabiyeh and Zakia towns in Rural Damascus and delivered aid for 33,000 people. Supplies included food, nutrition, hygiene kits, medicines and medical supplies.

UNHCR CO-LED SECTOR/CLUSTER UPDATES

Protection

• The Whole of Syria Protection Sector released its mid-year update and dashboard (https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/system/files/documents/files/wos_protection_sector_snapshot_2017_as_of_30_june.pdf). In the first half of the year, the Protection Sector members have reached 211 of 272 sub-districts, and 22 of 33 besieged communities with 3.5 million protection interventions. 1.78 million people have benefitted from at least one protection intervention. The response has now achieved 36 per cent of its 2017 target of 9.64 million protection interventions.

• The Protection Cluster partners in northern Syria conducted 258 interviews in 24 communities in 10 sub-districts, five districts and three governorates: Idleb, Hama, and Rural Damascus. The Protection Monitoring Interactive Dashboard is updated with July interviews and displays protection risks and threats reported across time and geographic area.

Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)

• On 1 August, the CCCM Cluster in Turkey Hub held an introduction session for a new Cluster tool (IDP Sites Integrated Monitoring Matrix - ISIMM Plus) with member agencies. The meeting included a discussion of existing site assessment tools, a review of the suggested questionnaire (in consultation with all participants), and testing the new tool. Feedback from participants was collected, and will be used to revise the tool ahead of the start of data collection. A total of 25 member agencies attended the meeting.

• On 27 July, the CCCM Cluster in Turkey Hub convened a workshop within the framework of the IDP Situation Monitoring Initiative (ISMI). The workshop focused on the alignment of datasets for IDP tracking in northern Syria between ISMI and contributions of CCCM member agencies. This included necessary data points for data collection, methodology, data sharing protocols and the review of a potential common tool.

• The total number of displacements from Ar-Raqqa Governorate since 1 April has reached 215,678 individuals, out of which 174,543 individuals were displaced inside Ar-Raqqa Governorate itself, while 27,690 individuals were displaced to Aleppo, 8,992 to Idleb, 4,376 to Deir-Ez-Zor and 77 to Hama.

• In Idleb Governorate, a total of 131,120 displacements have been recorded since 1 April, including 54,043 displacements from Hama Governorate, 23,691 from within Idleb, 14,701 from Damascus, 11,187 from Aleppo, 9,619 from Homs, 8,992 from Ar-Raqqa, 5,901 from Rural Damascus, 1,619 from Deir-Ez-Zor and 17 from Dar’a.

Shelter/Non-Food Items (SNFI)

• The Shelter Sector in Syria has initiated the revision of the Shelter Sector Strategy and for this a Technical Working Group (TWG) has been established. The Shelter Sector together with Ministry of Local Administration and Environment (MoLAE) is planning to organise a Strategy Revision Workshop in September involving all stakeholders.

• As part of the Ar-Raqqa response, NFI Sector members in the Syria Hub identified the following needs for summer clothes for children: 900 children in Mabrouka camp (Al-Hassakeh Governorate); 3,000 children in Ein Issa camp (Ar-Raqqa Governorate); and 1,000 children in Areesheh camp (Al-Hassakeh Governorate).

• SNFI Cluster Technical Guidance was shared with the Cluster members in northern Syria and will be supported with training in Gaziantep at the end of August. Cluster members currently undertaking shelter activities will be prioritized for the first session of the training.