Syrian Arab Republic: Flash Update No. 9 on the Recent Developments in Syria (as of 31 December 2024) [EN/AR]
Attachments
Download attachment
Download attachment
Highlights
-
Hostilities and insecurity continue to be active across Syria, with incidents affecting Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor, Hama, Homs, Lattakia, Quneitra, Rural Damascus and Tartous governorates over the past week, resulting in civilian casualties.
-
Over 664,000 people have been newly displaced across the country for one month. Following the peak of 1.1 million displaced on 12 December, nearly 486,000 have since returned to their areas of origin as of 27 December.
-
In north-east Syria, some 25,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) remain in over 180 collective centers, most of which lack adequate water, sanitation facilities, and privacy.
-
The Tishreen Dam has been non-operational for over 20 days since it was damaged by hostilities, affecting water and electricity access for at least 413,000 people in Menbij and Kobani.
-
WHO coordinated the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge, delivering 50 tons of life-saving medical supplies, including trauma surgery kits and essential medicines, to health facilities in north-west Syria.
Situation Overview
Hostilities and insecurity continued to be active across Syria, with incidents affecting Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor, Hama, Homs, Lattakia, Quneitra, Rural Damascus and Tartous governorates over the past week, resulting in civilian casualties.
On 27 December, hostilities struck near Al-Bogeleyyah village in Deir-ez-Zor, approximately one km from UN offices, affecting a water station in Theban village. Two days earlier, on 25 December, a technician was reportedly killed while on duty due to attacks affecting the Al-Khafsa water pumping station in Aleppo governorate. Since 28 December, water supply from this station to Aleppo city has been suspended.
In the south, Israeli incursions impacted Quneitra governorate. On 25 December, at least six civilians, including three children, were reportedly injured when Israeli forces opened fire at demonstrators in Al-Suweisah and Big Duawaya town. This is according to a triangulation of local sources, but the casualties have not been verified by the UN. During the incursion, Israeli forces reportedly imposed a curfew and demanded residents to evacuate the area.
A notable increase in crime, including hijackings and kidnapping, was also observed in parts of Aleppo and Coastal Areas over the past week. Meanwhile, new checkpoints in Homs have restricted movement, limiting access to humanitarian facilities such as child-friendly spaces. Demonstrations in Homs city on 25 December resulted in casualties, with one person reportedly killed and five others injured, according to local sources.
Due to the volatile security situation, humanitarian operations remain suspended in areas of Aleppo,
Deir-ez-Zor, Lattakia and Tartous governorates. Humanitarian shipments from Damascus to Qamishli city in Al-Hasakeh governorate have been temporarily halted. Insecurity also affected children’s school attendance in rural Hama, Lattakia, rural Quneitra and Tartous, as well as Deir-ez-Zor where over 20 schools were vandalized or looted.
In north-east Syria, the situation continues to be dire for over 25,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) still residing in 183 emergency collective centers – a decrease from 40,000 people reported one week ago. Some collective centers in Qamishli are experiencing severe water shortages, while most lack adequate water supply, sanitation facilities and privacy, with reports of women feeling unsafe.