Reporting Period: 11 to 18 December
Highlights
- Following the collapse of the Syrian government on 8 December, the population faces insecurity and widespread displacement.
The humanitarian crisis remains dire, with severe shortages and challenges to accessing health, WASH, education, protection, and other essential services. - UNICEF is working towards ensuring continuity of WASH services for over 10 million people across Syria by operationalizing public water and sanitation systems.
- During the reporting period, UNICEF coordinated the entry of essential materials and technicians to repair the Tishreen Dam in Aleppo, ensuring stable power and water supply for over 850,000 people.
- In response to healthcare infrastructure in NWS under significant strain, UNICEF partners have deployed more than 30 mobile medical teams to underserved areas and IDP camps.
- 7,519 children (3,325 girls and 3,194 boys) were screened for wasting.
- UNICEF education partners are resuming educational support across the country as schools reopen
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Following the collapse of the Syrian government on 8 December, the country has experienced a mix of optimism and disorder. It is now grappling with unstable security, an escalating humanitarian crisis, and widespread displacement. Amid this uncertainty, the situation in Syria remains fluid, with considerable impacts on the population. Airstrikes have been reported in southern Syria, as well as in Homs, Tartous, and Lattakia, resulting in damage to residential homes, health facilities, a bridge in Homs, a port in Lattakia, and a main water pipeline in Alhamediya town, Quneitra governorate. Hostilities have also been reported in Aleppo and Deir-ez-Zor, where the Hatla bridge was damaged, and several routes were cut off. These attacks have exacerbated the humanitarian situation in affected areas. In northeast Syria (NES), insecurity remains a concern, particularly in Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa governorates, where a curfew was imposed in most areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. While the road between Qamishli city and Ar-Raqqa governorate has reopened for civilian traffic, airports remain closed.
Population movements
Returns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been dynamic. As of 15 December, a total of 225,000 IDP returnees have been recorded, primarily in Hama and Aleppo governorates. This has led to a decrease in the number of IDPs, from 1.1 million on 12 December to 882,000 by 15 December. Among the newly displaced, at least 150,000 have been displaced multiple times.
There are growing concerns in Ain Al-Arab (Aleppo governorate) about a potential displacement wave in case of escalation at the border. If the security situation deteriorates, it is expected that people will relocate to Sarin and Ar- Raqqa city. As of 16 December, 250 sites, including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, stadiums, and residential buildings, are being used as reception centres to shelter displaced people across NES areas. Since 4 December, over 44,000 individuals have been displaced to NES due to fighting in Tall Refaat and Aleppo and are living in collective shelters.
Displacement continues in the southern governorates, especially in Quneitra and Dar'a, where the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are conducting operations and urging populations in several border towns to evacuate. In some villages, up to 40 per cent of the population has fled, likely seeking refuge with relatives or friends within the same governorate.
The Government of Lebanon reports fewer than 10,000 Syrians have returned from Lebanon since 8 December, with daily movements through both official and unofficial border crossings. Many of these returns appear to be temporary, primarily for checking on property or family members. Both Syrians and Lebanese continue to cross into Lebanon daily via official and unofficial border points, with Arida, Qaa, and Masnaa border crossings open to the public. This includes Lebanese who had been residing in Syria or had sought refuge there during the hostilities in Lebanon. Syrians who meet specific entry criteria, such as holding residency permits or onward tickets for transit through Beirut, are allowed (re-) entry through official border points. Since 8 December, approximately 90,000 people, including 20,000 Lebanese, have arrived in Lebanon, with local authorities providing temporary shelter for those in need.
At the Türkiye-Syria border, the main return processing points at Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salama remain calm, with relatively low numbers of returns before 8 December. However, in the last five days, daily returns have increased to between 1,300 and 1,850, with over 7,600 individuals returning between 9 and 13 December.
The situation at the Jordanian border is similarly quiet, with lower-than-usual traffic. The Al-Qaim border crossing in Federal Iraq remains fully closed for both entry and exit.