Syria: Update on MSF activities and a call for more aid
In Syria, despite the end of the war, people continue to live with the heavy legacy of fourteen years of brutal conflict. Many displaced families remain in camps without the financial capacity to rebuild their lives. Their homes have been completely destroyed; basic services are absent and livelihood opportunities are scarce, leaving people dependent on humanitarian assistance that has steadily declined over the past couple of years. The winter months are particularly dangerous, and without sustained aid, people will continue to face life-threatening conditions.
Across the Harim mountains and around the town of Salqin in Idlib province, more than 50 displacement camps are still sheltering thousands of families, many living in makeshift homes made from salvaged materials or bricks. Um Ali, a mother of three, lives in Al Fardan camp: “When the snow started falling, the plastic-sheet roof collapsed. We were unable to remove the snow because we live in a mountainous area.”
Initially, humanitarian organisations rushed to provide emergency support, but over time, the amount of aid provided has reduced. Today, many displaced families are largely left to manage on their own, with only limited assistance. Abu Musa, a resident of one of the camps, recalls: "It's been one year and few months since we last received assistance from humanitarian organisations; after the liberation, no one provided any kind of support to people living in the camps here.”
In Idlib governorate, Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been providing support to displaced families. Between December and February, MSF teams have distributed heating materials (around 600 tons) and plastic sheets to 2,000 families across 21 camps. A further 1,400 mattresses, 4,200 blankets, and hygiene and cooking kits have been distributed to 700 families in camps near Salqin and in the Harim mountains, and 150 families received tents in Armanaz, in rural Idlib. These distributions aim to help families endure the harsh winter months and reduce immediate risks linked to exposure to the cold. Yet the gap between needs and assistance remains enormous.
Osama Joukhadar, MSF logistics manager, explains: “People here are living in extremely fragile shelters. They are exposed to the cold, wind, and snow. Every winter, families struggle just to survive. We are trying to provide basic support, small but essential help to assist families get through the cold months.”
In Qamishli and Derik/Al-Malikiyah, northeast Syria, MSF responded to the needs of recently displaced people, who were forced to leave their homes in Tabqa, Raqqa and Al-Hassakeh under relentless rain and cold temperatures.
In Daraa and Rural Damascus governorates, in southern Syria, MSF distributed around 3,000 heaters, plus mattresses and blankets, between November and February, to support displaced families who remain exposed to extreme weather, unsafe living conditions, and prolonged uncertainty.
In Daraya, returnees found a town that barely resembled the place they once knew. Entire neighbourhoods were reduced to rubble, homes stood open to the sky, walls blackened by fire, belongings long gone. MSF assessed the needs of returning families and found the lack of access to healthcare was a critical priority. We worked closely with the Directorate of Health to rehabilitate the Primary Health Care Centre with a fully equipped emergency room as well as addressing gaps in medical supplies, diagnostic equipment, and staffing. Sexual and reproductive healthcare services have been strengthened and counselling and psychosocial support increased, providing a safe space for individuals and families to share their experiences, finding ways to cope with stress and loss, and begin healing.
Despite these huge needs remaining in Syria, the country continues to witness a decrease in humanitarian funding. MSF urges humanitarian organisations to step up their response, including for people who are still displaced and struggling to survive.