The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that 150,000 Syrians have received humanitarian assistance in northeastern Syria since the Aleppo events began.
A convoy of more than 20 trucks and a mobile clinic arrived in Ain al-Arab/Kobani (northern Aleppo countryside, northern Syria), carrying ready-to-eat food, hygiene supplies, and fuel, according to a UN post published on Monday evening, 2 February.
The UN said this was the second convoy to reach the area within a week, as the city continues to suffer shortages of water, communications, medical supplies, and food, among other basic services. Local communities, it added, rely on bakeries as a main source of food.
A UN supported relief convoy of 24 trucks reached Ain al-Arab/Kobani on 26 January, carrying what the UN described as vital aid. According to the UN statement, the convoy included food and health items, essential winter supplies, and other critical humanitarian support for residents.
On 30 January, the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a new agreement that includes a comprehensive ceasefire between the two sides, along with an understanding on a phased merger of military and administrative structures.
Humanitarian convoy reaches Qamishli
OCHA said a UN convoy of 50 trucks carrying humanitarian assistance from Damascus reached Qamishli (in al-Hasakah governorate, northeastern Syria) on Monday, the third such convoy within a week.
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to provide vital assistance to thousands of people in northeastern Syria, OCHA said.
OCHA noted that, as of 25 January, more than 170,000 people had been forced to flee their homes across 178 communities in northeastern Syria, most of them in al-Hasakah governorate. It added that the vast majority are women and children, facing heightened risks of violence and violations.
Nearly three quarters of displaced families are living with host communities, OCHA said, increasing pressure on housing, water, basic services, and livelihoods, at a time when host communities are already under difficult conditions.
While some people have returned home, many remain displaced due to explosive ordnance, damaged infrastructure, winter conditions, and limited access to even the most basic services, OCHA added.
Tens of thousands displaced
UNHCR spokesperson in Syria Celine Schmitt said tens of thousands have been displaced in northeastern Syria due to recent “hostilities” between Syrian government forces and the SDF.
She also said that about 80% of nearly 100,000 people displaced by the recent events in areas of Aleppo governorate have returned to their homes.
Some displaced people from northeastern Syria are staying in camps, Schmitt said in remarks published by the UN on 26 January.
She said UNHCR is trying to assist in those camps to meet basic needs, and is providing tents so people can access safe shelter.
According to Schmitt, UNHCR is working intensively with local partners and local non-governmental organizations it cooperates with to assess needs, meet them, and respond to the requirements of displaced people. She added that emergency support is being delivered, especially during these difficult winter weeks, including winter kits and protection assistance, such as mental health services and child protection through community centers.
Interior forces enter al-Hasakah
Units from Syria’s Ministry of Interior began entering al-Hasakah city (northeastern Syria) as part of implementing the agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF.
On 2 February, the Interior Ministry said the move is a step toward launching the implementation phase of the agreement and assuming full security responsibilities.
The ministry said the measure aims to ensure a smooth transition of the security situation to state institutions, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property, and enhance stability in line with applicable laws and regulations.
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