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Syria

Syria Crisis: Northeast Syria Situation Report No. 24 (15 April - 15 May 2018)

Attachments

This report is produced by the OCHA Syria Crisis offices with the contribution of all sectors in the hubs and at the Whole of Syria (WoS) level. The situation overview covers the period from 15 April – 15 May 2018. The next report will be issued on or around 20 June 2018.

Highlights

• An estimated 132,000 individuals returned to Ar-Raqqa city since October 2017 and 175,000 to Deir-ez Zor governorate since November 2017, although conditions for returns remain unsafe.

• Explosive hazard contamination remains a major protection concern, which continues to hamper humanitarian access, assessments and the principle of safe returns in both governorates.

• The population in the IDP sites has relatively stabilized, but new IDP arrivals were reported from Deir-ez-Zor governorate in the reporting period, as a result of the ongoing military operations against ISIL pockets.

132,000
Returnees to Ar-Raqqa city since October 2017.

175,000
Returnees to Deir-ez-Zor governorate since November 2017.

151,124
protection interventions conducted in Ar-Raqqa, Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ez-Zor governorates in March 2018.

570,072
people reached with food baskets and emergency food rations in ArRaqqa, Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ez-Zor governorates in March 2018.

494,792
people with improved access to lifesaving/ emergency WASH facilities and services in Ar-Raqqa, AlHasakeh and Deir-ez-Zor governorates in March 2018.

17,720
boys and girls and PLW reached with nutrition assistance in Ar-Raqqa, Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ezZor governorates, as well as the Menbij sub-district in Aleppo governorate in March 2018.

Situation Overview

Ar-Raqqa governorate

Key issues in Ar-Raqqa city are the protection concerns related to explosive hazard contamination, widespread infrastructural damages and the lack of public service delivery. Deaths and injuries of civilians, including children, due to explosive hazard continue to be reported in Ar-Raqqa city. While contamination levels remain high and have resulted in hundreds of fatalities since the end of the Ar-Raqqa offensive in October, it appears that the trend of blastrelated casualties is gradually decreasing to an average of 13 blast victims per week from over 50 per week in November and December. Meanwhile, mine risk education activities have been ongoing across Ar-Raqqa city since January 2018 and humanitarian actors continue to scale up these activities. Humanitarian mine action survey, marking and clearance operations continue in Ar-Raqqa governorate, but not in Ar-Raqqa city.

Approximately 295,823 people from and within Ar-Raqqa governorate were displaced due to military operations in 2017, according to the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster. However, conditions are still not in place for the safe, dignified and sustainable return of IDPs. Displacement will likely become more protracted, as indicated by consultations undertaken earlier this year with IDPs in the major sites in Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa governorates. Despite these risks, an estimated 132,000 individuals returned to Ar-Raqqa city since October 2017, including from IDP sites as well as the rural areas around the city where some part of the population had also sought for safety during the height of the hostilities.

Access to health care within Ar-Raqqa city is improving, but secondary/tertiary care remains limited. On 24 April, a government-administered health center reportedly reopened for the first time in Ar-Rafika neighbourhood and will provide routine vaccination services to returnees complemented by ongoing NGO-supported routine immunization efforts. On April 29, a new private hospital was also opened in Raqqa city. The hospital will be the fourth to open and will provide surgeries, childbirth assistance and maternity care.

On 25 and 26 April, WFP-provided food assistance for 30,000 people in Ar-Raqqa city through local partners, which was the first WFP delivery to the city in four years. During WFP’s last distribution cycle no incident was reported.

Moving forward, WFP has plans for the delivery of 6,000 food rations (sufficient for 30,000 people) on a monthly basis through a Hassakeh-based partner.

Major repairs of Al Furosya Electric Station, the main station that provides power to Ar-Raqqa city and its countryside, were completed in mid-May. As a result, communities in the northern countryside of Ar-Raqqa now have access to the main electricity network. The rehabilitation of the internal electrical networks in Ar-Raqqa city is planned to provide access to the network in populated neighborhoods.
Water is pumped to some neighborhoods in Ar-Raqqa city, and even where it is pumped, the quantity is often insufficient. There is a risk that movements to reach water points may further expose people to safety risks, including explosive hazard contamination. On 14 April, for the first time, the water supply through the local water network reportedly reached the outskirts of Ar-Raqqa city. This water was supplied from the Al-Maslakh pumping station along the Euphrates River with support from WASH sector partners.

Deir-ez-Zor Governorate

During the reporting period, ISIL retained control over several villages in southern rural Deir-ez-Zor governorate on the eastern side of the Euphrates River, as well as areas along the Syria-Iraq border, east of Markada. On 18 April, ISIL has reportedly regained control of the Al-Hasrat village in eastern rural Abu Kamal city. On 1 May, the SDF announced the launch of two separate anti-ISIL offensives in Hassakeh governorate (Dashisha and surrounding areas) and in Deir-ez-Zor governorate (Haijin to Abu Kamal). The SDF reportedly took control over the Baghouz Tahtani area in northeastern Abu Kamal sub-district on 14 May. In mid-May, hundreds of civilians were displaced from Hajin town in southern rural Deir-ez-Zor due to armed clashes between the SDF and ISIL.

In late April, clashes were reported between the GoS and SDF in the SDF held-areas of northwestern rural Deir-EzZor and Konico Oil field plant at Taiba. This reportedly resulted in the displacement of some 1,000 families from Janinah, Shakra, Jeea’a, Al Hissan and Eliyan villages to SDF-controlled areas such as Mihemeedah and Kasra, Suar and other villages. The IDPs are reportedly hosted by the local communities.

Despite the risks posed by explosive hazards, more than 132,000 people are returning to their places of origin in Deir-ez-Zor governorate. Explosive hazard contamination continues to present a daily risk for thousands of children, women and men across Deir-ez-Zor governorate. Without explosive hazard surveys conducted by humanitarian mine action organizations no detailed information is currently available on actual levels of contamination in areas of return.

Further efforts are needed to increase the level of awareness of local communities, IDPs and returnees with risk education campaigns, in addition to the conduct of systematic survey, marking and removal of explosive hazards.

While current mine action interventions focus on Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa governorates, needs in Deir-ez-Zor governorate are also reported to be high.

The absence of fully operational public hospitals in Deir-ez-Zor governorate has heightened the vulnerability of civilians seeking medical treatment. As of 15 May, 289 cases of acute diarrhea in Deir-ez-Zor governorate have been reported since 10 March due to the consumption of unchlorinated water from the Euphrates river. On 18 April, the Directorate of School Health reported a measles outbreak especially among school-aged children. A measles vaccination campaign was launched in response to the 22 confirmed cases of measles detected in schools and 45 cases reported among children under age five. In late April, more than 383,000 children were vaccinated against measles in Hasakeh, Deir-ez-Zor and Ar-Raqqa governorates. From 22 to 28 April, 552 cases of Leishmaniosis were reported in Deir-ez-Zor governorate, which has spread largely due to lack of healthcare and health actors.

An estimated 250 IDP families collectively sheltered in public buildings were reportedly evicted in western rural Deirez-Zor, such as in Abo Khashab, Jazrat Milaj. Jazarat Abo Hmaid, Busaira and Swaoar. This comes following a decision taken by the Civil Council in Deir-Ez-Zor in 2017 to evict IDPs sheltered in public buildings in SDF-held areas in order to reinstate service deliveries. No alternative shelter options were provided to the IDPs, leaving IDPs to seek shelter within the host community or to set up tents.

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