Humanitarian Response in Aleppo and East Syria | Situation Report No. 1 (As of 27 January 2026)

HIGHLIGHTS

• More than 170,000 people have been displaced across Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, and Ar-Raqqa governorates since early January, with large concentrations in Qamishli and Al-Malikiyyeh districts.
• Humanitarian access remains constrained by prevailing safety conditions, movement related limitations, and explosive ordnance contamination, affecting assessments and assistance delivery.
• Humanitarian assistance convoys were facilitated between 25 and 27 January via the assigned humanitarian corridors, enabling the delivery of life-saving assistance, though access remains uneven.
• Explosive ordnance contamination continues to pose a critical risk, with 10 incidents recorded and 15 casualties reported during the period.
• Displacement and service disruption are severely affecting civilians, particularly children, with education, health, and water systems under sustained strain.

Situation Overview

Since 6 January 2026, developments on the ground involving Government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo and eastern Syria have resulted in significant civilian displacement, service disruptions, and humanitarian access constraints across Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, and Al-Hasakeh governorates. While ceasefire agreements and subsequent extensions, including a 15-day extension announced on 24 January, have contributed to a relative decrease in active tensions in some areas, the situation remains fragile with localized security incidents and population movements continuing to be reported.

The recent developments triggered large-scale displacement during the first half of January, followed by secondary and onward movements toward eastern governorates, particularly Al-Hasakeh. Although some return movements have been observed following the ceasefire, many displaced families remain unable to return due to prevailing safety concerns of explosive ordnance contamination, damaged infrastructure, and limited access to basic services.

Displacement remains significant. As of 25 January 2026, more than 170,000 internally displaced persons were recorded by the IDP Task Force across 178 communities in 27 sub-districts in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, and Ar-Raqqa governorates, complicating tracking, coordination, and the delivery of assistance. Displacement patterns indicate a strong concentration in Qamishli District, hosting an estimated 97,900 IDPs, followed by Al-Malikiyyeh District with approximately 32,000 IDPs.

The displaced population is predominantly composed of women, girls, and boys combined, who together represent approximately 91 per cent of displaced persons and are disproportionately exposed to protection risks, resulting in heightened needs for health, nutrition, shelter, education, and psychosocial support.

In Al-Hasakeh governorate, onward movements from Ar-Raqqa and Tabqa, alongside pre-emptive displacement from parts of Al-Hasakeh city toward surrounding areas, have been observed amid heightened security concerns.

Approximately 74 per cent of displaced households are being accommodated by host communities, placing substantial additional pressure on already overstretched local services, housing, water systems, and livelihoods, while camps and collective shelters continue to absorb new arrivals and experience congestion.

The Government announced the opening of two humanitarian corridors along the Ar-Raqqa–Al-Hasakeh road near Tall Dawood village, the Ain al-Arab junction on the M4 highway, Through these routes, three inter-agency humanitarian convoys were facilitated between 25 and 27 January, including two humanitarian convoys, of 24 trucks and five trucks respectively to Kobani (Ain al Arab), and a subsequent 30 truck convoy to Qamishli, delivering multi-sectoral life-saving assistance such as food, medicine, nutrition supplies, non-food items, health and WASH supplies, winterization support, protection items, and fuel to support the restoration of water supply systems. Despite these measures, access continues to vary depending on operational conditions and route availability. More humanitarian assistance convoys are planned to both Ain Al Arab (Kobani) and Qamshili in the coming days.

Winter conditions, including episodes of heavy snowfall and low temperatures, have further compounded humanitarian needs for displaced populations, particularly those living in overcrowded or non-winterized shelters.