Highlights
The ETC plans to meet with the Government to seek approval forthe migration of the security telecommunications network to digital mobile radio (DMR).
The ETC has resumed the local Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Working Group with partners.
Situation Overview
Sustained hostilities in Duma, Eastern Ghouta, have led to a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. Over 80,000 people have fled Eastern Ghouta since 9 March with 50,722 people currently being hosted in eight shelters in rural Damascus.
The UN and partners are appealing to all parties to the conflict to urgently allow for humanitarian access to the besieged population in Duma.
Following the military operations that began on 20 January, an estimated 137,070 individuals remain displaced from Afrin district to Tall Refaat, Nabul, Zahraa, and Fafin and other areas.The freedom of movement of IDPs in the Tall Refaat, Nabul, Zahraa, and Fafin areas remains restricted, and currently, IDP movements are only possible between the reception areas, while no return or onward movement has been permitted. Similarly, limited numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Afrin who were in Aleppo city when the military operations in Afrin started, are currently unable to return to their areas of origin.
