ReliefWeb

Highlights

• Over 110,000 people have been registered as displaced from formerly besieged neighbourhoods of eastern Aleppo, including 74,941 displaced to areas in and around Aleppo city, and 36,086 people to Idleb and rural western Aleppo.

• Since December, there have been reports of children dying in the Mahalej shelter due to the severe cold weather and inadequate shelter conditions.

• The Mahelej transitional shelter was shut down between 24 and 25 December and all IDPs were evacuated due to the lack of protection from winter conditions.

• In Aleppo city, the UN and partners have accessed most of the areas of the city to assess the situation of civilians and respond to their needs as during the last week, formerly besieged neighbourhoods of eastern Aleppo became accessible.

• The UN is also supporting the Governorate with plans to rehabilitate areas in eastern Aleppo, in addition to responding to the needs of returnees.

Situation Overview

Over 111,000 people have been displaced from formerly besieged neighbourhoods of eastern Aleppo since 24 November. This includes 74,951 people displaced to Government-controlled areas in and around Aleppo city, and over 36,086 people in non-State armed group-controlled Idleb and rural western Aleppo. People have started returning to their homes where conditions allow. The most urgent needs in all locations are shelter, warm clothing for adults and children, heaters and fuel due to the wintery conditions, as well as protection assistance.

Since December there have been reports of children dying due to the severe cold weather and inadequate shelter conditions including four infants dying at the Mahalej Transit Centre.
The Mahelej transitional shelter was shut down between 24 and 25 December. The shelter was completely evacuated under the supervision of the Governorate. While most people staying at the site returned to their houses in eastern Aleppo neighbourhoods or moved in with their relatives in western Aleppo neighbourhoods, the remaining 750 internally displaced people were moved to the Jibreen industrial. Most of the people moved to Jibreen are vulnerable, among them women, separated children, elderly, single households, disabled and sick people. While the conditions are better in Jibreen, more still needs to be done to raise standards at the site.

In Aleppo city, the UN and partners have accessed most of the areas of the city to assess the situation of civilians and respond to their needs. During the last week, formerly besieged neighbourhoods of eastern Aleppo became accessible. The UN and partners assessed the needs of returnees and are providing them with assistance including shelter support, food, NFIs, health, nutrition and providing safe water and sanitation.

The UN is also supporting the Governorate with plans to support returnees in eastern Aleppo and strengthen the municipality and partners responding to the displaced in Jibreen and throughout Aleppo city. Response plans are being expanded to include interventions to support returnees with short, medium and long term interventions following sector specific assessments of the situation in each area. An inter-sector plan and methodology on how to rehabilitate neighbourhoods that recently came under Government control is a priority.

An agreement with the Relief office in Aleppo governorate was reached to facilitate sectoral work with Government technical departments to share information and undertake assessments through field visits. Based on the findings of the assessments, sectors will coordinate with Government departments to prepare a shared response plan that highlights distinct roles and responsibilities. The UN is aware of the reports of mass graves in eastern Aleppo, but have not been able to confirm their presence. We continue to call for full access to all areas of Aleppo, to assess the situation there and provide assistance to all in need.

As part of the eastern Aleppo agreement, 1,312 people were evacuated from the besieged villages of Foah and Kefrayeh as of 23 December. People evacuated from Foah and Kefrayeh were initially moved the Jibreen Grain Warehouse which is now empty, as all evacuees from Foah and Kefrayeh have been transferred to Homs and Latakia where the UN teams in these locations are providing humanitarian support throughout.

According to the CCCM cluster, as of 26 December, 36,086 people arrived from formerly besieged neighbourhoods of eastern Aleppo to 128 unique locations in Idleb and Western Rural Aleppo. A total of 4,801 individuals moved to informal IDP camps in Aleppo and Idleb. One new camp in Sarmada was reportedly established to host 110 households/550 people.

An additional 27 households/135 people arrived at the Atmeh section in northern Idleb. All families have received food baskets and 50 families are currently hosted in an empty building near the camps waiting for additional tents to be set up. Tents have been released and awaiting administrative procedures to be delivered from Turkey into Syria through Bab Al Hawa. As of 27 December, 80 households/564 people are hosted at Maarat Al Ekhwan reception centre.