By Bunmi Yekini
The ongoing conflict in northwest Syria has escalated dramatically, with over 280,000 people displaced in just a few days following a massive offensive by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, labeled a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council. The crisis has compounded Syria’s already dire humanitarian situation, which has left millions struggling for survival after over a decade of war.
Samer AbdelJaber of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) described the situation as “a crisis on top of another.” Speaking from Geneva after an emergency assessment mission, he warned that the number of displaced could rise to 1.5 million. “The humanitarian partners are working on both sides of the front lines, trying to reach communities wherever their needs are,” he said.
Despite the violence, aid continues to flow from Türkiye via three operational border crossings. AbdelJaber reported that WFP has established community kitchens in Aleppo and Hama, areas now reportedly controlled by HTS. “The aid partners are on the ground and doing everything they can to provide assistance to the people,” he assured.
However, funding shortages pose a significant challenge. “Syria’s $4.1 billion humanitarian response plan faces its largest shortfall ever,” AbdelJaber said, noting that less than one-third of the needed funding for 2024 has been received.
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, over 600,000 people have started returning to their homes after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. UN humanitarian official Edem Wosornu voiced concerns about their safety, citing unexploded ordnance and the destroyed infrastructure awaiting returnees. “The problem is what they would find when they go back home and the need for our response to pivot very quickly,” she said.
Isabel Gomes of World Vision International highlighted the dire conditions for displaced families, recounting the story of a Syrian mother who had to flee while nine months pregnant. “She walked kilometers, gave birth, and her two-month-old baby still hasn’t received vaccines,” Gomes revealed.
For returning farmers in southern Lebanon, the dangers are immediate and life-threatening. “We are asking our mine action colleagues to support demining activities,” Wosornu urged. “Farmers trying to salvage their olive harvest face risks from mines and unexploded ordnance.”.
UN