At least 300,000 civilians have fled their homes in northwest Syria amid intense air and ground bombardment, with winter conditions worsening an escalating humanitarian crisis, the United Nations said today.
“We are alarmed at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Idlib, in northwest Syria, where over three million civilians remain trapped in a war zone – the vast majority of them are women and children,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) . “At least 300,000 civilians have fled their homes in southern Idlib since mid-December, following a sharp escalation in hostilities”.
Many of those who have fled are living in tents and makeshifts shelters in inhospitable places, with harsh winter conditions in Idlib governorate, a densely populated area that already hosts displaced people from all over Syria. The Idlib area is the last rebel-held swathe of territory in Syria’s nearly nine-year civil war.
“Every day we receive disturbing reports of families caught up in the violence, seeking refuge and access to essential services in overcrowded camps and urban areas. Many are now sheltering in schools, mosques and other public buildings”, Laerke said. “Across Idlib we get reports of critical shortages of food, shelter, health and winterization assistance, as well as other basic services required for their survival”.
“Millions of people in Idlib they are trapped,” the UN OCHA spokesman added. “As you have seen things are getting increasingly worse over the past weeks - they currently have nowhere to go. We have seen, as I mentioned, a very significant increase in internal displacement. Since mid-December, an additional 300,000 movements of people on the run”.
According to OCHA, at least nine civilians were killed and 20 others injured on Sunday in the town of Ariha, south of the city of Idlib, following airstrikes in the area. The airstrikes also resulted in destruction and damage to buildings, including a kindergarten and a mosque.
Airstrikes and shelling are taking place on a near daily basis in many towns and villages. OCHA reported that at least 13 health facilities in Idlib have been recently forced to suspend their operations for security reasons. Throughout the country, “at least 1,300 civilians were killed by air strikes and shelling between May and August last year,” Laerke said, specifying that more recent data was not available,
Asked about the UN’s cross-border humanitarian operation from Turkey to Syria, the OCHA spokesman said that it is one of the most scrutinized aid delivery systems in the world today, a lifeline for 2.7 million people who rely on it for their survival. The delivery of cross-border and cross-line humanitarian aid, originally authorized through UN Security Council 2165 (in July 2014, and renewed several times since then), is a key issue currently before the Security Council.
“One of the reasons why it is so critical important that we continue with the cross-border cooperation is to keep the death toll down”, Laerke said. “Of course, we cannot prevent shelling and fighting. We can call for that to stop. But what we can do is to provide aid so that people survive where they are and this during this very harsh winter, and that is what we are doing. As I mentioned, 2,7 million really rely on our assistance for their survival, and we need to see that continue.” Mr. Laerke stated that there was “no plan B” for the current operation, and that this was the only viable way to reach the people in need.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians
Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA
As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WHO
Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis - UN humanitarians
Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO
UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount
Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday, But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.
1
1
1
Edited News
A war reporter from Lebanon who lost a limb in the line of duty is calling for an end to impunity for attacks against journalists.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITU
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OCHA
Gazans ‘in terror’ after another night of deadly strikes and siege
Amid reports that Israeli strikes across Gaza into Friday killed at least 64 people, aid teams once again pushed back strongly at allegations that aid is being diverted to Hamas and pleaded for the blockade to end.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Deportations over recent months of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States of America, especially to countries other than those of their origin, raise a number of human rights concerns, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Gaza: Over 50 child malnutrition deaths amid aid blockade; entire generation will be ‘permanently affected’ - WHO
In the aid desert of Gaza, malnourished children are dying while survivors can expect a lifetime of dire health problems, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.