The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the international community to move “from words to action” to urgently help the most vulnerable returnees. Many families have little shelter and little economic prospects..
“In recent weeks there has been discussion at high international levels about the need for ‘early recovery’ and ‘reconstruction,’” Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR’s representative in Syria, said the day after the Security Council meeting set out the way forward. “For a peaceful future for all Syrians,” he said. “But not until we move from words to action for the many returnees.”Their new life in Syria will unfortunately mean sleeping surrounded by plastic sheets..”
Massive damage has spread across Syria’s towns and cities as international aid teams return home after a 14-year war that ended on December 8 following a lightning military takeover of Damascus by forces including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). destruction occurred. The city became more and more clear.
In addition to the returning refugees, about 500,000 internally displaced people uprooted by the war had returned to northwest Syria by the end of last year, according to OCHA, the United Nations relief coordination office.
Before the fall of the Assad regime, it was estimated that 7.4 million people were internally displaced inside Syria, 2.3 million of them living in camps and a total of 16.7 million people dependent on humanitarian assistance.
Following the Security Council discussions, the foreign ministers of Italy, France, Germany, Britain and the United States and the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas set up a meeting in Rome on Thursday. Discuss the situation in Syria.
Winter Shelter Priorities
Following warnings from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN’s migration agency, IOM, noted the need for massive winter protection across Syria for those fleeing or returning to their homeland, to support more than 1.1 million people over the next six months. It requested $73.2 million. This is a significant increase compared to the previous appeal of $30 million issued in December 2024.
“These efforts aim to provide immediate support to the most at-risk and vulnerable communities, including refugees and returning groups, across Syria,” IOM said in a statement. “Funds will be used to provide essential relief goods and cash, shelter and protection support, water, sanitation and health services. We also provide early recovery support to people on the move.”
Since December 2024, IOM’s work in Syria has reached more than 80,000 people through winter relief, 170,000 through emergency water and sanitation (WASH) services, and more than 15,000 through multipurpose cash assistance.
Challenge to restore basic services
In an update later Thursday, OCHA noted that restoring water and electricity supplies, among other basic services, remains difficult across Syria due to insecurity and damage to infrastructure.
The agency said Aleppo’s Tishreen Dam is still not operational after being damaged in the conflict a month ago, and as clashes continue in the region, more than 410,000 people in the cities of Menbiz and Kobani are without regular water supplies. They said access to electricity was being cut off.
Ongoing hostilities in Aleppo are reportedly causing civilian casualties, damaging infrastructure and disrupting relief efforts.
The United Nations and partners continue to support Syria’s medical response, including medicines, trauma kits and vaccines, but needs remain enormous.
Humanitarians report that cases of influenza-like illness are increasing across the country. They also warned that recently released prisoners are at higher risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis and malnutrition due to pre-existing poor health conditions.
OCHA said many health and nutrition facilities in northwestern Syria remain closed, with many suffering severe damage from shelling in recent months and others lacking funding.
Meanwhile, medical mobile units in the Northeast are experiencing manpower shortages due to a shortage of medical staff, so the supply of medicine and medical supplies is urgently needed.
