Highlights
• In Syria, many provinces including Idleb, Eastern Ghouta, and other areas in Hama and Aleppo continue to witness heavy fighting leading to high levels of civilian casualties and damage to vital infrastructure. An increase in anti-ISIL operations are causing further displacements, triggering concern over the safety and protection of the affected populations. About 32 per cent of Deir-Ez-Zor population was reportedly displaced in October 2017. This equates to an estimated 270,000 people and 85 per cent of displacement in the country. In response to the needs of the displaced, UNICEF is providing essential WASH, health, nutrition and winter assistance.
• In October, UNICEF participated in six inter-agency convoys to the besieged location in East-Ghouta in Rural Damascus, and hard-to-reach areas in Rural Homs and Rural Damascus, delivering supplies for an estimated 93,000 people, and carrying-out rapid multi-sectoral needs assessments, though restrictions on the importation of certain medical supplies was reported.
• UNICEF reached about 1.4 million people in 211 hard-to-reach locations in Syria with life-saving interventions and critical services in the areas of WASH, education, health and nutrition, child protection, and youth and adolescent development, in addition to over 32,000 beneficiaries in seven besieged areas during the reporting month.
• Children in MENA have survived years of relentless fighting and displacement, and now they’re fighting to stay warm. In anticipation of freezing temperatures and harsh snow storms that rage during winter, UNICEF is working around the clock to secure supplies and provide services to the most vulnerable children, including the youngest and those living in besieged and hard to reach areas. As of end of August 2017, UNICEF has received only US$6.8 million out of the US$72.9 million winter appeal. US$66.1 million is urgently needed to provide over 1.5 million children affected by the crises in Syria, Iraq and the State of Palestine with warm clothes, thermal blankets and cash-assistance and vouchers to their families to help them address their children’s most basic needs.
• UNICEF activities in Iraq, specifically humanitarian monitoring missions, were negatively impacted during October as a direct consequence of the political stalemate between the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in the wake of the referendum on the independence of the Kurdistan Region. With shifting lines of authority, UN movements from the KRG into Ninewa, Kirkuk, and some areas of Salah-al-Din were sporadically suspended, however mission activities generally resumed towards the end of the month.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Despite the reduction in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure that had been seen following a number of ceasefire and de-escalation agreements since 4 May 2017, instances of military escalation were reported in many provinces including Idleb, Eastern Ghouta, Hama and Aleppo. At least two health facilities were damaged in airstrikes in rural Damascus and Hama, disrupting health services to affected communities. Multiple offensives carried-out by the Syrian Democratic Union (PYD)/Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Government of Syria (GoS) forces against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) led to increased displacement in Deir-Ez-Zor. About 32 per cent of the governorate’s total population was reportedly displaced during October 2017, equating to approximately 270,000 people and 85 per cent of displacement in the country.
This is a significant increase from the 13,100 displaced in August 2017. Almost 250 individuals, mostly civilians, are still trapped in Hawijat Kateaa area located between Hawiqa neighborhood and Husayniya village northeast of Deir-Ez-Zor city and cannot cross to safety due to the intensified conflict in the Kurdish-controlled areas in the outskirts of Dier-Ez-Zor and Raqqa governorates.
After the recapture of Raqqa city by the Syrian Democratic Forces, over 33,000 internally displaced people were allowed to go back to their homes in neighborhoods surrounding the city in late October. Rubble removal and de-mining works have been initiated by the Raqqa Civilian Council with the support of the Coalition, and three humanitarian organizations have started the rehabilitation of water networks, power lines and sewer pipelines, however UN agencies are still waiting for security clearance to enter the city and start their humanitarian interventions.
In Homs, government forces and allies re-captured Al Qaryatein city, expelling ISIL and re-establishing control over the entire southeastern rural Homs. Extensive clashes, shelling and air raids on the city during the 21 days in which ISIL was in control resulted in mass civilian casualties and substantial infrastructure and property damage. Upon ISIL’ retreat on 21 October, 45 children went missing. Of these, 25 returned to Al Qaryatein after escaping ISIL, however, 20 remain missing. Psycho-social support and primary healthcare is urgently needed, as reported by local partners. Children of various ages witnessed and experienced grave violence and limited access to food, water and health services during ISIL control, hence access to humanitarian assistance is vital.
In addition to the Syrian refugee population in Jordan, approximately 50,000 Syrians remain along the north-east border near Rukban. Of these, 80 per cent are believed to be women and children, with significant percentage of households being headed by females. Since the closure of the border in June 2016, no significant decrease in the population at Rukban has been observed. The support received via the Jordanian side of the berm includes the provision of safe water and access to basic health services, primarily through the UN, in close coordination with the Jordanian Armed Forces. The UNICEF-supported clinic near Rukban witnessed an average of 257 medical consultations per week, a significant rise in the number of patients accessing services compared to last month. UNICEF and its partner have identified increased malnutrition cases among children. Daily provision of safe water by UNICEF and access to some health services remain the only regular humanitarian assistance available.
In the wake of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) referendum on independence in September 2017, political instability has increased in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq during the reporting month. Since 29 September, the two airports in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have been limited to only domestic flights by instruction of the federal Government of Iraq (GoI) in Baghdad. Internal security has also declined, as a concerted effort was made by Iraqi government forces to push the Kurdistan security forces (Peshmerga) back to the 2003 “green line” boundaries. Clashes followed between the Popular Mobilisation Forces, the Iraqi Security Forces and the Peshmerga in Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu, Altun Kupri, Makhmour, Talskuf, and the Peshkhabour border area, at the edges of KRG control. With shifting lines and changes of authority, UN movements from the KRG into Ninewa, Kirkuk, and some areas of Salah-al-Din were sporadically suspended, however mission activities generally resumed toward the end of the month. The referendum has exposed divisions between Kurdistan’s political actors, and in late October, KRG’s President Barzani announced he would not seek further extension to his term, and that he would step down as of 1 November. UNICEF activities, specifically humanitarian monitoring missions, were negatively impacted during October as a direct consequence of the political situation between the KRG and the GoI. However, to date, direct armed conflict between the two sides has remained small-scale and largely away from areas where Syrian refugees reside. As of 15 November 2017, UNICEF remains significantly underfunded against its 2017 appeal for the Syrian Refugee response (57 per cent received including carry-over).
The Humanitarian situation in Lebanon, which hosts an estimated 1.5 million Syrian and 300,000 Palestinian refugees, remains precarious and unpredictable. With the response to the Syrian refugee crisis entering its seventh year, the humanitarian community is seeing significant pockets of funding gaps for some key sectors, including WASH interventions in informal settlements. With the deteriorating economic situation of the refugees and the increasingly strident rhetoric urging their return to their places of origin, the environment is becoming more difficult for refugees. UNICEF is accelerating its strategies for longer-term sustainable transition, while maintaining key humanitarian assistance and advocating for funding for critical gaps.
In October, the number of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers registered in Turkey stood at over 3.6 million. Nearly 3.3 million Syrian refugees were under temporary protection in Turkey, including over 1.4 million children. In addition, 344,600 were nationals mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, of whom more than 113,000 were children. Meanwhile, the number of refugees and migrants on the move toward Europe dropped slightly compared to the previous reporting period. Over 4,100 people arrived in Greece by sea in October, a 15 per cent decrease from September 2017, 35 per cent of whom were children.9 According to the Turkish Coast Guard Command, about 2,900 people were rescued or apprehended at sea.10 Anecdotal observations from UNICEF partners attribute the decreased migration in part to deteriorating weather conditions, as well as increased border enforcement and more intensive monitoring of sea-routes used to transport people towards Greece. Under the framework of the EU-Turkey Statement, four rounds of returns took place for 57 people, bringing the total number of re-admissions since the Statement came into effect in March 2016 to 1,394. As the cost of hosting Syrian refugees in the country has the potential to lead to increased tensions, especially in locations where the refugee population is close to or has outnumbered the local population, strengthening support to host communities as well as national and local infrastructures to promote social cohesion is therefore a priority. Other examples of key needs include ensuring equitable access to quality health and formal and non-formal education opportunities and the provision of effective protection under national legislation .
In Egypt, an estimated 213,000 refugees and asylum seekers are registered with the United High Commissioner for Refugees13, half of whom are Syrian nationals. Per analysis of previous trends, these figures are expected to increase by the end of the year, creating additional pressure on overstretched public services. Around 50 to 60 per cent of the newly registered Syrian refuges continue to arrive illegally from Sudan, which often results in detentions. The total caseload of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) has reached 3,723 children in Egypt (73 per cent African and 27 per cent Syrian nationals). 1,899 of all UASC are unaccompanied children, of whom 89 per cent are between 15-17 years old predominantly coming from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Syria. Per the new NGOs Law 70/2017, new committees are being established to provide registration approvals for national and international nongovernmental organizations, leading to some implementation delays.