Syria Crisis Bi-Weekly Situation Report No.16 (as of 31 October 2016) [EN/AR]

Highlights

• Building housing UN in western Aleppo targeted by Non-State Armed Opposition Group

• Medical evacuations from eastern Aleppo City did not take place due to lack of agreement by parties

• Following a unilateral pause in fighting in Aleppo, hostilities resumed on 22 October

• Hostilities in western Aleppo City intensify

• Humanitarian partners prepare for refugees from Mosul offensive

• Medical authorities in Madaya and Bqine towns suspend medical services

Situation Overview

On 17 October, the Governments of Russia and Syria announced a unilateral pause in hostilities which lasted from 18-22 October, presenting an opportunity for medical evacuations from eastern Aleppo City. Despite long and complex negotiations during the pause, medical evacuations from eastern Aleppo City did not take place, as a result of various factors impeding the process, including a lack of security assurances from all parties, delays in receiving the list of patients from authorities in eastern Aleppo City, and the Government of Syria’s (GoS) refusal to allow medical and other relief items into eastern Aleppo City. Nevertheless, the pause witnessed a decrease in fighting.
However, within minutes of the end of the pause on 22 October, military operations resumed throughout Aleppo City with shelling reported in several neighbourhoods (Al-Mashhad, Sallah Eddine, Al-Sukkari). The next day, airstrikes reportedly hit the same neighbourhoods, in addition to Al-Marjeh, killing five people. Meanwhile, from 27 to 28 October, armed opposition groups (AOGs) attacked Government-held areas in western Aleppo, including alHamdaneyah and 3,000 Housing project. On 27 October, a mortar on the Al Wataniya School in West Aleppo city killed three students and one teacher, in addition to injuring 23 students who were admitted to two hospitals. Amidst the increased fighting, civilians are extremely vulnerable and in need of immediate relief.

In his statement on 24 October, the Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Stephen O’Brien, expressed his deep frustration that the UN and its partners had to abort their plans to evacuate critically injured and sick people from eastern Aleppo City. He stressed that political and military considerations are trumping humanity once again in Syria, noting that all parties to the conflict have a duty to protect civilians, not as favours to be granted, but rather as fundamental obligations under international humanitarian law. On 30 October, the building where UN staff reside and work in western Aleppo, was targeted and hit by a tank shell. In a statement on 31 October, the UN strongly condemned the attack on the UN hub and the increase in violence in all of Aleppo.

Availability of medical supplies in eastern Aleppo City remains a major concern, health partners report, with medical stocks projected to last less than three weeks. Meanwhile, the food situation remains unchanged, with humanitarian partners predicting that remaining food stocks may run out in mid-November. As of 21 October, some 12,000 food rations are stored in eastern Aleppo City, plus 100 metric tons of bulgur. Chicken, eggs, canned food, fresh vegetables and cooking gas are reportedly unavailable in eastern Aleppo City. The UN and its partners continue to stand ready to deliver cross-line assistance to 137,500 people in eastern Aleppo City.

Over the two weeks since the beginning of the Mosul offensive in Iraq on 17 October, 44 Iraqi refugees have arrived at the Al Hol Camp in Al-Hasakeh Governorate. This is a significant decrease compared to the 912 refugees arriving to the camp in the weeks before the offensive. With more refugees projected to arrive, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has extended the camp’s capacity to 15,000 people, planning to extend further to host up to 50,000 people.

On 19 October, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) evacuated 1,626 fighters and accompanying family members from Madamiyet Elsham in Rural Damascus Governorate to Idleb Governorate. Following the evacuations, civilian movement and commercial access into and out of Madamiyet Elsham became possible again. In Madaya town, a civilian and a ten-year old boy reportedly died on 26 and 28 October respectively, as a result of insufficient medical supplies. Two days earlier, the medical authorities in Madaya and Bqine towns suspended their activities due to lack of medical resources and specialists.

*As this situation report goes to press, hostilities in both east and west Aleppo have intensified. Since 23 October, increased attacks on western Aleppo (including the deployment of VBIEDs) have resulted in at least 65 deaths and the displacement of at least 5,460 people, OCHA reported on 3 November. Registration efforts of the displaced are ongoing and numbers are expected to rise.