A renewed escalation of the conflict in northern Syria could worsen the suffering of millions of people struggling to cope with a dire humanitarian situation in the country's twelve-year crisis, the Syria International NGO Regional Forum (SIRF) warned in a statement Thursday. The international group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to the Syria crisis is calling on all warring parties to refrain from further escalation and protect civilians.
Over the past several days, intensified military action in parts of northwest and northeast Syria have sparked fears of further conflict breaking out and impacting populated civilian areas and crowded humanitarian displacement sites. Across northern Syria, civilians have been reportedly injured and key civilian infrastructure has been impacted, threatening people’s access to vital supplies such as power and water.
Over 4 million people are displaced in northern Syria. The NGOs fear a further surge in hostilities will put communities living in densely-populated villages in the region at risk, potentially resulting in a new wave of displacement at a time conditions are already worsening. Some of the most impoverished communities live along northern zones where poverty, insecurity and risk of a conflict already prevail.
“The violence must not impede aid efforts at a critical time of the year. A nationwide ceasefire must be upheld and translate into steps towards a political settlement to alleviate over a decade of suffering.” the statement said.
The latest developments come while the humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate in Syria. Nine in ten people live in poverty and eight in ten do not have enough to eat. A malnutrition crisis has been further exacerbated by an unprecedented spike in inflation and food prices in recent months.
As cholera continues to spread across northern provinces amid acute funding and supply shortages, a chronic lack of water and adequate healthcare has added to warnings that the spread of the disease will contribute to one of the harshest winters since the beginning of the crisis over a decade ago.
In a related development this week, another group of leading international NGOs called for an urgent scale up in humanitarian support for the Syria crisis, alongside immediate action to secure humanitarian access to the northwest of the country. The NGOs said in a statement Monday needs have risen to their highest levels since the start of the crisis and the cholera outbreak threatens to drive further suffering.
The NGOs call for urgent action to scale up the cholera response and guarantee humanitarian access to affected regions. In northwest Syria, continued access to cross-border assistance is the only viable way to scale up a response and directly and quickly reach those in need. Access to assistance in a timely manner is critical to delivering an effective response to cholera and curb the spread.
As winter approaches, the NGOs warn of already stretched resources which are needed to ensure families can seek adequate shelter from the typically harsh weather conditions. The conflict in Ukraine has also driven up prices of many essential items such as food and fuel which will affect people’s ability to keep their homes warm, to have electricity and running water. These challenges already experienced by many displaced families, alongside the cholera outbreak could lead to a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the winter months.
By the end of November, only 18 per cent of the funding required countrywide for winterization has been secured, leaving a funding gap of $171.36 million. The NGOs are calling on the international community to fill the gap, to ensure adequate response to cholera and winter needs. In addition to fully funding the existing Syria humanitarian appeal.
The NGOs are calling for the UN Security Council to guarantee continued access to populations in northwest Syria through the cross-border mechanism. Last year this mechanism enabled humanitarian actors to reach over 2.4 million people a month in the northwest with life-saving assistance, including food, shelter, and medicine.
According to the NGOs, there is currently no viable alternative to match the scale, scope and timeliness of aid delivered through this mechanism. The Security Council has until January 10 to confirm renewal of the mechanism. If it fails to be renewed the consequences will be dire for Syrians facing a harsh winter and will significantly undermine the response to cholera.
Further information
Full Text: INTERAGENCY STATEMENT: Military escalation could worsen suffering for vulnerable communities in Northern Syria, Syria International NGO Regional Forum (SIRF), released December 1, 2022
https://www.savethechildren.net/news/interagency-statement-military-escalation-could-worsen-suffering-vulnerable-communities
Full Text: NGOs call for an urgent scale up in support, alongside immediate action to secure humanitarian access to Northwest Syria, joint NGO statement, published November 28, 2022
https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/ngos-call-urgent-scale-support-alongside-immediate-action-secure-humanitarian-access-northwest-syria