Highlights
Humanitarian assistance delivered to Darayyaand Doumafor the first time since 2012 and 2014 respectively.
Over 16,000 people displaced by fighting since 27 May in the northern Aleppo countryside
SDF offensive on ISIL-held areas of Menbij in eastern Aleppo countryside displaces more than 20,000 people and threatens to displace up to 216,000 people
Dozens killed and wounded in airstrikes on Idleb city, including damage to health facilities
Suicide attacks in Tartous and Lattakia kill and injure hundreds
More than 592,000 besieged in Syria, as UN adds Al-Wa’er to its list of besieged locations amid deterioration of conditions in the enclave
Further access restrictions on Khan ElShieh and surrounding areas
Situation Overview
An increase in fighting in several areas of the north resulted in dozens of civilian casualties and the displacement of thousands during the reporting period. Populations throughout the northern countryside of Aleppo have been particularly impacted by fighting between parties to the conflict, displacing thousands to areas along the Turkish border. In Idleb Governorate, an intensifying aerial campaign has resulted in the displacement of several thousand families from Idleb city, as well as the destruction of health and educational facilities in locations across the governorate.
Against a backdrop of increased fighting, there have been positive developments as regards access to besieged areas, with inter-agency convoys delivering multi-sectoral assistance to Madamiyet El Sham, Daraya and Douma on 3, 9 and 10 June respectively. Daraya had not been reached at scale since 2012, and Douma since mid-2014.In a concerning development, the UN received reports of dozens of barrel bombs being dropped on Daraya the following day.
The Al-Wa’er neighbourhood of Homs City was classified as besieged by the UN on 23 May in light of continued stringent restrictions on access and freedom of movement and amid reports of rapidly deterioration humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
ISIL carried out suicide attacks against civilian targets in Tartous city and Jableh town (Lattakia), leading to fears of a possible rise in tensions between local populations and IDPs settled in these two relatively peaceful areas in which hundreds of thousands of IDPs from conflict affected areas of the country have found refuge over the last years. Following a number of incidents targeting IDPs settlements that did not lead to casualties, local authorities increased security measures to prevent further acts of violence.
On the heels of the World Humanitarian Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey on 23-24 May, UN Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien visited Hatay, Turkey, where he met Syrian refugees and spoke of the commitments made by world leaders to alleviate suffering and put people affected by conflict and disaster at the centre of humanitarian action.