London, United Kingdom, December 9, 2024 — The events of the last two weeks mark a watershed moment in Syria, potentially offering a new and more hopeful chapter for more than 16 million people in need of humanitarian assistance inside the country, as well as over 5 million Syrian refugees hosted in neighbouring countries.
It remains to be seen whether this new reality will allow Syrians to start rebuilding their lives, or whether an even graver crisis lies ahead. While recent fighting in the northwest appears to have largely subsided, conflict persists in the northeast, affecting the ability of our teams to access populations in need.
As the situation continues to rapidly evolve, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) reiterates the need for all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. During this period of uncertainty, all parties must prioritize the protection of civilians and ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance.
Operating in Syria since 2012, the IRC has consistently used our voice to spotlight the devastating effects of perpetual conflict on Syrians, while calling on the international community to facilitate political solutions to address the drivers of the conflict.
Today, more than 13 years since the crisis began, the humanitarian situation inside Syria is truly dire. Millions have been displaced multiple times and are living with life-changing physical and emotional trauma. Conflict has caused massive damage to critical infrastructure, and severely limited access to essential services. At the same time, an economy in freefall has plunged more than 90% of the population into poverty and is forcing families to make impossible choices between food, healthcare and education.
With humanitarian needs across Syria now the highest they have ever been, the IRC remains steadfast in our commitment to support vulnerable Syrians in need, wherever they are.
For Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, the evolving situation also offers tentative hope for eventual return to their areas of origin. However, regardless of the latest developments inside Syria, any discussions around refugee returns must continue to center on the need for them to be voluntary, safe and dignified, and underpinned by refugees being given all the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their futures.
Until the situation inside Syria is genuinely conducive for returns at scale then host countries must continue to uphold the principle of non-refoulement and donor governments should continue to support both refugee populations and the communities hosting them.
While significant uncertainties and concerns remain for Syria’s transition and its future, the events of the last few weeks offer a potential turning point in the conflict, and with it an opportunity to finally make meaningful progress towards a political solution to the crisis.
To prevent the situation inside Syria from deteriorating further, rapid international engagement is now required to establish a peaceful transition and political process that meaningfully includes civil society groups and representatives of marginalized communities.
The IRC calls on all parties to commit to a sustained peace, so that after 13 years of protracted crisis Syrians can survive, recover, and finally gain control over their futures.
David Miliband, IRC President and CEO, said:
“The events in Syria are devastating proof that humanitarian misery, mass displacement and widespread killing are no basis for a sustainable state. Having worked in Syria for 12 years, my IRC colleagues have seen firsthand the impact of the conflict on this historic land. The priorities today revolve around the responsibilities of the key domestic actors, and of the international community. Foremost in our mind is the need to protect vulnerable groups. We call on all countries where Syrians are living as refugees to uphold the principle of safe and voluntary return. Syria needs its people, in all their variety, but it must be their choice.”
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.