Humanitarian situation dire as hundreds of thousands leave their homes in south Syria

Amman, 5 July 2018Intense fighting in southern Syria has displaced some 330,000 people and has led to dozens of deaths, including among women and children, since 17 June. This is the largest displacement in the south since the conflict began more than seven years ago. The situation is dire and humanitarian needs are growing by the day. Civilians are in desperate need of shelter, clean water and sanitation.

Sadeq, a humanitarian aid worker with CARE in south Syria said, “The tragedy of thousands of displaced people in south Syria’s western rural area is real. Displaced people are sleeping on bare earth. I found some families sheltering among the graves and tying mats to worn-out agricultural machinery to create some shelter from the summer heat.”

“The situation is tragic. If the fighting continues or reaches areas of displacement, there will be a major humanitarian disaster,” said Lamees, another aid worker with CARE in south Syria.

A third aid worker, Rami, said, “We cannot sleep at night. Yesterday, heavy air strikes continued throughout the day and night. Explosions were heard in the cities of Irbid and Mafraq in northern Jordan. People were calling from across the border to check we were alright.”

The situation of displaced people at the Jordanian border is particularly precarious, aggravated by dusty desert winds and high temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius. Local sources have reported several deaths among children, women, and the elderly due to scorpion bites, dehydration and diseases transmitted through contaminated water.

CARE Syria’s Country Director, Wouter Schaap, said, “We are witnessing whole cities and towns emptying due to intense fighting in the south. Having escaped the violence, many are sleeping out in the open, in the desert heat, without access to water, food, toilets, or any of the most basic necessities. Widespread exposure to snake and scorpion bites, resulting in some cases to death, is one of the terrible consequences that people are facing.”

Food prices are rapidly increasing, and very little food supplies are reaching the areas of displacement. Infant formula is unavailable in some areas. The price of fuel, gas and diesel has doubled in some areas in the last week, leading to the increase in the price of water, which is being trucked to IDP camps and gatherings. There is a shortage in clean water supplies and many civilians cannot afford paying for transport in order to move from one area to the other for safety. Prices are expected to become prohibitively expensive as supplies run out.

CARE has reached some 50,000 vulnerable people in southern Syria, through the distribution of shelter and hygiene packages, as well as supplies for babies and the elderly. CARE is also delivering water and installing emergency latrines in areas of displacement and providing psychosocial support to people in need.

Notes to editors:

  • All Syrian civil society organizations mentioned in this press release are supported by CARE, and were interviewed in the first week of July. Names have been changed to protect the identity of individuals.
  • CARE has been providing aid in Syria since 2014, and has reached more than 2.7 million people so far. Our work is focused on food security, livelihoods, shelter, water and sanitation, and psychosocial support for people in crisis.

About CARE

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than seven decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. Last year, CARE worked in 94 countries to reach 80 million people, including more than 11 million through emergency response and humanitarian aid. Learn more at www.careinternational.org.

For interviews, please contact: Fatima Azzeh, Communications Manager for the Syria Crisis, [email protected], +962 79 711 7414.

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