Attachments
This update provides a summary of recent displacement, along with developments from the UNHCR co-led Sector/Clusters of Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), Shelter/Non Food Items (SNFI) and Protection.
KEY DISPLACEMENT STATISTICS
- 531,867 people displaced in affected areas of northern and southern Syria:
o 521,939 people displaced in affected areas of northern Syria, including Aleppo (326,069), Hama (91,675), Idleb (76,005), Ar-Raqqa (18,137), Homs (7,346), Deir-Ez-Zor (1,423), Lattakia (1,273) governorates, northern Syria, due to fighting since 1 February 2016 (figures as of 25 January).
o 9,928 people displaced in affected areas of Rural Damascus, south-western Syria, due to fighting since August 2016 (figures as of 25 January).
CONTEXTUAL DEVELOPMENTS
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On 31 January, the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura asked the Security Council to postpone the UN-facilitated peace talks scheduled for 8 February in Geneva until 20 February. The Special Envoy said he will issue invitations for the Geneva talks around 8 February.
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Syrian government forces have now reportedly recaptured all the towns and villages in Wadi Barada (Rural Damascus). Syrian government officials said that emergency repairs were underway to the water pumping station, which suffered significant damage and affected the water supply of 5.5 million people in Damascus and its suburbs. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) estimates up to 17,500 people have been displaced from Wadi Barada to neighbouring villages since the beginning of the fighting on 23 December 2016.
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According to reports by partners, 2,100 opposition fighters and family members were evacuated from Wadi Barada (Rural Damascus) on 29 January, following the agreement reached on 28 January between the Government and armed opposition groups. Some of those evacuated reportedly chose to stay in rural Hama Governorate where they have relatives, while the majority headed to northern Idleb Governorate near the Turkish border and are being assisted with food rations and NFI distributions.
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On 29 January, WFP has resumed airdrops of food to support 93,500 people in the besieged city of DeirEz-Zor. Airdrops were halted on 15 January after extremist militants cut the besieged zone in two and overran the drop zone that had been in use since April 2016. A new drop zone is now being used.