Displacement Crisis in Syria Worsens As Fighting Forces over 100,000 to Flee
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – More than 100,000 people have been displaced by fighting between Turkish-backed militias and US-backed Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria, facing dire conditions with limited access to shelter, food, and healthcare, rights groups said.
The ongoing offensive led by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in northeastern Syria has displaced over 100,000 people since November 27, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The displaced populations are seeking refuge in areas controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) but face severe shortages of basic needs.
“The situation is exacerbating an acute and longstanding crisis, with overcrowded camps and severely damaged infrastructure and a lack of water, power, healthcare, food, and weather-appropriate shelter,” HRW said in a statement.
The rights group urged “all parties to the conflict in Syria” to guarantee the “unimpeded flow of aid, safe passage to fleeing civilians, and protection for those who stay.”
Relief organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provided further details on the worsening crisis, reporting that over 80,000 people have been displaced in the areas of Tabqa, Raqqa, and Hasakah.
“The situation faced by people who have been displaced is overwhelming,” said Allen Murphy, MSF’s head of programs in northeastern Syria.
“People urgently need access to essential services, including healthcare, clean water and shelter, as the temperature is dropping considerably," he said.
"In the current situation, there is also a risk of additional waves of displacement.”
Murphy described conditions in Tabqa, where many are sheltering in stadiums and schools, as dire.
“They are not designed to house people,” he explained.
“Temperatures have dropped below freezing and people do not have blankets or heating. Latrines, clean water and food are all insufficient, as authorities have not had enough time or resources to prepare for people’s arrival."
“Existing medical services in some of the areas receiving displaced people have quickly become overwhelmed,” Murphy added.
MSF warned that the scale of needs is “outpacing the available capacity and resources of responders.”
Earlier, HRW similarly raised alarm over worsening conditions, calling attention to the large-scale displacement and severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
