Syrian Arab Republic: Cross-Border Humanitarian Reach and Activities from Türkiye (August 2023) – Syrian Arab Republic

CONTEXT

The cross-border aid operation continues to be a lifeline to north-west Syria reaching more than 2 million people per month with food, medicines and other aid. As of 31 August, 3,896 trucks carrying UN aid have crossed from Türkiye to north-west Syria using three border-crossings, since the earthquakes struck on 6 February. The UN also conducted 32 cross-border missions throughout August, totalling to over 200 cross-border missions completed this year.

Following the resumption of the cross-border referrals of new cancer patients on 26 July, 90 to 100 Syrian cancer patients are crossing to Türkiye per week to get treatment. Plans are in the works to install radiotherapy equipment in two local hospitals – one in Afrin and one in another district in northern Aleppo.

In light of food cuts made over the summer, the humanitarian community is adapting the response and rolling out mitigation strategies. However, partners warned that a 40 per cent reduction in assistance could widen the gap of people reached to 2.8 million people. Following the earthquakes, the number of food insecure people has increased from 3.3 million to 3.7 million people – or 82 per cent of the population in north-west Syria.

Frequent hostilities including shelling and airstrikes continued to be reported in north-west Syria resulting in civilian deaths and injuries. In August, at least 12 civilians were killed, including one woman and six children, and 16 civilians have been injured, including two women and three children, according to monitoring carried out by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).