Syrian Arab Republic: WFP Syria North-Eastern Syria Emergency Situation Report #6, 29 October 2019
In Numbers
106,000 people internally displaced
12,000 people displaced through crossborder to Iraq
308,210 people reached with WFP emergency food assistance
580,000 people targeted for WFP general food assistance in October
Highlights
• The situation in north-eastern Syria continues to be unpredictable. However, return movement has been reported to the areas of tension, despite continuing reports of sporadic population displacement.
• Displacement across the border to northern Iraq continues, and as of 28 October, more than 12,000 people have now fled into northern Iraq according to UNHCR. Some 11,750 Syrian refugees were assisted upon arrival into northern Iraq Kurdistan Region.
• WFP has so far reached 308,210 people with emergency food assistance, including 139,810 people in Al-Hasakeh and 168,400 people in ArRaqqa governorate.
Situation Update
• On 27 October, a statement from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that they would pull their forces away from the Turkish-Syrian border and they would be replaced by border guards of the Government of Syria.
However, at the time of reporting, clashes continue to be reported within the “safe zone” between multiple actors.
• According to OCHA as of 29 October, 106,000 people remain displaced from Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa and Aleppo; 96,855 people have returned to their place of origin.
• Moreover, 340 IDPs moved from their Al-Hasakeh host community to a collective shelter in the same city. These IDPs are from Ras Al Ain and displaced to Al-Hasakeh at the start of the conflict. At this time there are 70 collective shelters across the two governorates.
• The Kurdish Self Administration announced they would start building a new camp in northwest Al- Hasakeh city that is large enough to support up to 13,000 IDPs from the Turkish operation.
• Neworuz camp, which was closed has now re-opened and 30 families arrived on 27 October with another 30 expected in the coming days according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Most of the arrivals were previously in collective shelters in Mabada. IRC will respond with ready-to-eat (RTEs) parcels and WFP will then provide general food assistance.
• The strategic M4 highway connecting Aleppo and eastern Syria remains closed. WFP and its transporters are still using the alternate supply routes to reach the affected areas. However, the opening of a bridge in Deir Ezzor to cross the Euphrates river was announced as open for vehicle traffic. The bridge is located 13 km south-east of the UN Hub in Deir Ez-Zor and may be considered as an additional transport route while M4 route is closed.
• UNHCR indicates that as of 28 October, 12,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the Syrian-Iraqi border, thus marking acceleration of population movement across the border from north-eastern Syria to Iraq. WFP Iraq has so far assisted some 11,750 Syrian refugees since 09 October.
