Key messages
- The Syria conflict has triggered the world's largest humanitarian crisis since World War II. Humanitarian needs continue to rise, population displacements are increasing, and an entire generation of children is being exposed to war and violence, increasingly deprived of basic services, education and protection.
- The European Union and its Member States collectively are a leading provider of international aid. More than €5 billion have been mobilised for relief and recovery assistance to Syrians in the country and to refugees and their host communities in neighbouring Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt. In addition, the EU has pledged €3 billion at the 'Supporting Syria' conference held in London in February 2016.
- The European Commission is funding humanitarian programmes carried out by its humanitarian partners which provide millions of people with life-saving assistance including food and safe drinking water, non-food items, shelter, emergency medical treatments and protection.
- The EU calls for the respect of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the protection of civilians, especially children, women and other vulnerable groups, and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians by all parties of the conflict. The EU also calls for all parties to the conflict to allow unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, across conflict lines as well as borders, to ensure safe delivery of humanitarian aid and medical care to all people in need.
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Syria with intensified fighting, high levels of violence, widespread disregard for the rules of international law and the obligation to protect civilians, and major human rights abuses committed by all parties. The open conflict is increasingly hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid especially in Northern Syria: supply roads are often disrupted or closed and humanitarian organisations have been forced to downscale or suspend operations in several areas due to insecurity.
The situation in and around Aleppo city and Idleb governorate is dramatic: heavy bombing and intense fighting caused countless civilian casualties and damages to critical infrastructures, leaving more than 2 million people without water and electricity and in fear of besiegement. Aid delivery to the eastern part of Aleppo remains extremely difficult due to ongoing airstrikes. The targeting of health facilities continues unabated, hindering the access to healthcare for all citizens.
The Syrian population is highly vulnerable and 13.5 million of people are in need of humanitarian assistance: 6.6 million are internally displaced, 4.6 million people in hard-to-reach areas, including over 480 000 besieged. Civilians continue to be the primary victims of the conflict. Rape and sexual violence, enforced disappearances, forcible displacement, recruitment of child soldiers, summary executions and deliberate shelling of civilian targets have become commonplace.