• More than 100,000 displaced individuals have recently arrived in Raqqa and Al-Hasakah governorates from Aleppo requiring urgent support.

  • A recent IRC assessment in Raqqa, Al-Tabqah and Al-Hasakah in the northeast of Syria reveals displaced populations face unsafe childbirth, cold-related illnesses, contaminated water, and medical shortages.

  • Harassment, sexual violence, and unsafe shelters are putting vulnerable individuals at greater risk.

  • Stress, anxiety, and trauma are widespread due to the ongoing crisis.

  • Limited awareness of assistance, fear of stigma and logistical challenges prevent many from accessing vital support.

16 December 2024 —  As pivotal changes unfold across Syria, following the end of the Assad-led Government, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is responding to a complex and evolving humanitarian landscape. Displacement remains highly fluid and security challenges are mounting. In response the IRC is scaling up its efforts to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable communities. 

In the IRC’s 2025 Emergency Watchlist, Syria places fourth this year, highlighting how Syrians across the country continue to face extreme uncertainty following years of war that have undermined their resilience. In the northeast of the country, hostilities persist. Last week, Raqqa City experienced its first airstrike since 2017, landing just two kilometers from the IRC office. The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by the arrival of approximately 100,000 individuals displaced from Aleppo. Reception sites, including schools, mosques, and public buildings, are nearing full capacity, leaving displaced populations facing significant health and safety risks, psychological distress, and barriers to accessing critical support.

Marta Welander, IRC’s EU Advocacy Director, says:

“The events of the last few weeks offer a turning point for the people of Syria but, amidst the ongoing instability, it is far too early to suggest that Syria is ‘safe’.

"In this moment of upheaval, the small proportion of people from Syria who are currently in Europe face multiple uncertainties. They must be given the time and space needed to make informed decisions for themselves and their families. It’s vital that any EU states that have paused the processing of Syrian asylum claims restart these as soon as practically possible, to avoid leaving people in a lengthy state of limbo where they are unable to move forward with their lives. Equally, they should not issue negative decisions until the situation becomes clearer. Meanwhile, the EU and broader international community need to surge humanitarian and early recovery support for people inside Syria.”

Tanya Evans, IRC's Country Director in Syria, said:

"The situation in the northeast of the country is dire, yet we continue to respond to those who were already in need of assistance and those newly displaced. Our teams are working tirelessly, preparing cash distributions to populations in need. At Tabqa School, which is being used as an emergency shelter, we will be distributing 2,400 hygiene kits to families seeking safety there and have also deployed three Mobile Medical Units to Raqqa and Tabqa to deliver essential healthcare.

"In the northwest, we have been able to resume work at key program sites and recently regained access to the Idlib National Hospital after airstrikes in the hospital’s vicinity forced us to suspend activities earlier in the month. This hospital is a lifeline for the community, and we’re focused on getting it back to full capacity through critical rehabilitation work after it was damaged by airstrikes at the end of November.

"As towns and villages become accessible for the first time in many years, particularly in areas that used to be near the frontline, the IRC is rapidly working to assess the needs of populations who have been largely cut off from assistance. A system-wide scale up of humanitarian and early recovery activities is now urgently required across the country, and with it an urgent need for increased funding to empower organizations on the ground to respond effectively to the growing crisis.”

With hostilities continuing to impact the ability of humanitarian organizations to support vulnerable communities, the IRC reiterates its call on all parties to commit to a sustained and lasting peace in Syria. We urge immediate action to protect civilians and critical infrastructure, ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, and guarantee unimpeded access to life-saving assistance. 

END

Notes to editors:

The IRC has been working in Syria since 2012 and is currently responding to needs in northern Syria, directly and in partnership with local organizations. We provide lifesaving health care, including support for health facilities and mobile health teams offering critical trauma care, as well as primary, reproductive, and mental health services. The IRC also delivers counseling and protection services for women and children, particularly survivors of violence, along with cash assistance, early recovery and early childhood development support. In Turkiye, we are supporting partners in delivering health care, protection, and emergency cash assistance to those affected by the 2023 earthquakes. We also support Syrian refugees in neighboring countries.