Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian Response in Southern Syria - Situation Report No. 4 (as of 14 December 2025)

HIGHLIGHTS

• The security situation across southern Syria remained unpredictable during the reporting period with localized escalations disrupting civilian movement and access to services.
• Twenty-four casualties, including seventeen children, were reported due to 11 EO-related incidents during November across As-Sweida, Dar’a, and Rural Damascus governorates.
• As of 4 December 2025, around 155.2K people remain displaced following mid-July hostilities in As-Sweida according to the IDP Taskforce, with around 20K returnees mainly to As-Sweida and Shahba districts.
• Around 14,000 people have relocated to alternative sites and camps following the closure of 94 sites, including 65 schools, since September.
• Humanitarian partners reached 478K people in November with multi-sectoral assistance, including NFIs, cash support, and winterization items. However, critical funding gaps across all sectors are restricting scale-up, leaving significant unmet needs in shelter, food security, protection, WASH, cash assistance, and health.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The security environment across southern Syria remained volatile through November and early December, with sporadic armed incidents, criminal activity, and movement restrictions affecting communities in As-Sweida, Dar’a, and Quneitra governorates. Localized escalations, combined with checkpoint dynamics and temporary military presence, continued to disrupt civilian mobility and access to essential services, reinforcing protection risks and straining coping mechanisms.

Humanitarian access to the southern corridor remained functional but subject to bureaucratic and logistical delays, with occasional adjustments to convoy schedules to mitigate risk. Movements along the Damascus–As-Sweida route continued Partners reported that delays were more often linked to administrative and operational factors than direct insecurity, though intermittent incidents on passenger routes prompted precautionary measures during October and into November.

Localized clashes in As-Sweida’s western countryside during November represented the most significant escalation since the hostilities in mid-July. Despite earlier de-escalation efforts, intermittent violations and sporadic clashes continue to disrupt stabilization efforts. Security deployments remain in place across the governorate, while local factions retain influence in key urban centers. These developments underscore persistent fragility in the governorate, where rival armed factions continue to challenge local ceasefire efforts despite repeated calls for restraint.