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Syria

Syria: Flash update on recent events - 1 June 2017

Attachments

KEY DISPLACEMENT STATISTICS (AS OF 16 MAY 2017)

  • 898,374 displacements recorded by the CCCM Cluster in the last 12 months from affected areas of northern and southern Syria:

o 871,978 displacements from affected areas of northern Syria, including Aleppo (385,004), Ar-Raqqa (205,503), Hama (144,780), Idleb (101,634), Homs (21,005), Al-Hassakeh (5,294), Deir-Ez-Zor (7,717), Lattakia (1,041) governorates, northern Syria. This includes around 136,926 new displacements recorded in May 2017 alone, with the large majority from Ar-Raqqa Governorate (94,362).

o 26,396 displacements from affected areas of Damascus, Rural Damascus, Sweida and Dar’a, southwestern Syria. This includes around 9,094 new displacements recorded in May 2017 alone.

CONTEXTUAL DEVELOPMENTS

  • Government forces pushed back extremist groups and opposition fighters in the eastern side of Homs, gaining control of a large area near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. Syrian state media reported that the new advances secured over 5,000 square kilometres in the desert area, widening the Government's control south of Palmyra (Homs Governorate) and the highway linking Palmyra to Damascus.

  • Recent reports indicate armed hostilities in Quneitra and in Dar’a’s southern neighbourhoods of Manshiyeh and Sajnah continue. Humanitarian actors remain concerned with negative impacts of a possible escalation in violence along the main highway connecting Damascus to the border with Jordan. So far, there has been no reported disruption of access for the Inter-Agency convoys from Jordan.

  • Extremist groups launched a number of attacks on the Aleppo – Khanaser road in the eastern countryside of Aleppo and in rural Homs causing temporary disruption of movement in this axis. Humanitarian actors anticipate negative impact on movement to and from Homs, as well as to relief items deliveries to persons in need.

  • On 27 May, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that hundreds of civilians are fleeing Albu Kamal and Mayadeen, two cities held by extremist groups in Deir Ezzour Governorate in eastern Syria, after a series of airstrikes reportedly killed dozens of people. Hundreds of civilians began fleeing the two cities on 26 May and heading towards villages in the countryside, according to the Observatory. Relatives of extremist fighters were reportedly among those fleeing.

  • On 29 May, the Governor of Damascus reportedly announced that the last opposition fighters have left the besieged neighbourhood of Barzeh in north-east Damascus, bringing the area under Syrian Government control. According to local media reports, around 1,000 people, including 455 opposition fighters, left Barzeh to opposition-held parts of northern Syria as part of an agreement between the Government and armed opposition groups. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, most evacuees were going to Idleb Governorate, while some would go to Jarablus (Aleppo Governorate) on the border with Turkey.

  • The offensive on Raqqa has intensified over recent days, when more than 100 air and artillery strikes were reported to have caused many civilian casualties. Humanitarian actors on the ground report that IDPs were prevented from fleeing Abo Wahel and Al Kadisia (rural Raqaa) until 24 May because extremist groups were trying to use them as human shields. Displacement continues and is expected to increase within the coming weeks.